The Arkansas State women's basketball team met its toughest Sun Belt Conference test Thursday night. But, thanks to a career-best effort from Khadija Brown-Haywood, ASU is still unbeaten in conference play.
Brown-Haywood scored a career-high 29 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as ASU survived a late rally for a 78-71 victory at Texas-Arlington. The Red Wolves (13-3, 7-0 Sun Belt) won their seventh consecutive game and stayed on top of the Sun Belt standings with the victory.
ASU, which beat its first six Sun Belt teams by 13 points or more, led 40-35 at halftime and by as much as 54-42 with 4:44 left in the third quarter on a Jessica Flanery three-pointer. Texas-Arlington (7-9, 2-4) rallied in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 65-60 with 5:07 left before Brown-Haywood made a three-pointer to put ASU up 68-60 with 4:44 left in the game.
The Mavericks got within 74-69, but that was with 32 seconds remaining and Brittney Gill responded with two free throws to seal the victory.
"This is a good win for us," said Arkansas State Coach Brian Boyer. "Every win this time of year is good, but there are some of these that when you go into someone place's and beat a team you've done something and this is a good team that we beat in a really tough environment."
Brown-Haywood made 10 of 19 shots from the field, 3 of 8 three-pointers and 6 of 6 free throws for the Red Wolves. Aundrea Gamble scored 17 points on 7 of 12 shooting and added 7 assists, while Flanery had 10 points and 4 rebounds.
ASU shot 48.3 percent from the field and scored 24 points off Texas-Arlington's turnovers.
The Red Wolves could have pulled away like it had in previous Sun Belt games if it wasn't for Rebekah Vandijk and Amara Wainwright, who combined for 40 points for the Mavericks.
Vandijk had 20 points on 10 of 11 shooting from the floor and added seven rebounds, while Wainwright also scored 20 on 6 of 15 shooting.
ASU fell down 10-5 early in the first quarter before going on a 13-0 run capped by a Gamble layup to make it 18-10 with 2:34 left and maintained control from there.
The Red Wolves improved to 7-0 in the Sun Belt for the second time, and the first time since 1997.
TEXAS STATE 67, UALR 57
UALR Coach Joe Foley went with a starting five unlike any he had tried this season. The group, which consisted of three freshmen, got the Trojans off to a good start, but it didn’t last.
The Trojans made four of their first six shots, but UALR fell into a hole and could never fully come back on Thursday night at Texas State, falling at Strahan Coliseum in San Marcos, Texas.
Kaitlyn Pratt led UALR (5-11, 3-4) with 16 points and 8 rebounds, three days after scoring a career-high 21 points in a loss at Arkansas State. But Pratt came off the bench on Thursday, as freshman guards Kira Shepard and Deja McKinney and freshman forward Ronjanae DeGray started along with sophomore guard Monique Townson and junior forward Keanna Keys. Shanity James had nine points and seven rebounds for UALR.
Kaitlin Walla, had 16 points, while Taeler Deer had 11 points.
SOUTHLAND WOMEN
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 59,
NEW ORLEANS 44
NEW ORLEANS — Brianna Mullins had 18 points and 13 rebounds and Central Arkansas won for the fifth consecutive time.
Mullins made 6 of 13 shots to lead the Sugar Bears (15-2, 5-1) through an otherwise shaky offensive game. Maggie Proffitt added 13 points and Jameka Watkins had 12 for UCA, which shot 34.7 percent from the floor. The Sugar Bears made up for it by making 18 of 20 free throws and 7 of 17 three-pointers.
New Orleans (5-11, 2-5), led by Shania Woods’ 12 points, was held to 41.0 percent shooting, was 0 for 4 on three-pointers and 12 of 19 from the free-throw line.
GAC WOMEN
ARKANSAS TECH 87,
HENDERSON STATE 64
Fatima Adams finished with 31 points and 14 rebounds as Arkansas Tech (12-2, 10-0 Great American Conference) routed Henderson State (7-9, 6-4) on Thursday night at the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia.
Anissa Pounds had 13 points, including three 3-pointers. The Golden Suns shot 41.7 percent (30 of 72) from the floor and made 10 three-pointers.
The Lady Reddies were led by Haleigh Henderson, who had 17 points. Torrie Thompson scored 13 points while Makyndra Simmons had 10 points.
Sports on 01/22/2016