By JOE ANGOLIA
UALR sports information
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—With 2:22 remaining in the game, Jaleshia Roberson knocked down a three-pointer that sparked a 7-0 run that gave Missouri State the lead and the victory 53-49 over the UALR women’s basketball team Sunday at JQH Arena. The Trojans are now 7-2 on the season.
Anshel Cooper led all scorers with 24 points going 11 of 27 from the field and led the team in steals with four. Chastity Reed led the team in rebounds with seven.
Missouri State gained the opening tip and scored the first six points including four by Jacque Griggs. The Trojans scored their first field goal at the 16:45 mark on a jumper by Cooper.
Over the next three minutes, the Lady Bears out scored UALR six to two with the Trojans points coming from Cooper. At the 13:26 mark, a jumper by Megan Williams sparked a 5-0 run by UALR to cut the MSU lead to 12-9.
The Trojans’ run continued with a jumper by Marian Kursh and four straight points by Cooper to take their first lead of the game at the 10:15 mark 15-12.
With 9:57 until the half, the Lady Bears regained a two-point lead with five straight points. Cooper knocked down a jumper and one to regain the 18-17 advantage.
The Lady Bears recorded five points to UALR’s two over the next three minutes to hold on to a two-point lead. With 1:33 until the half, Kim Sitzmann knocked down her first three-pointer of the game to give UALR a 23-22 half-time lead.
Missouri State opened the secondhalf with a jumper by Lacey Boshe. The Trojans answered with back-to-back jumpers by Cooper.
Over the next two minutes, UALR outscored the Lady Bears six to two including steals and fast break layups by Sitzmann and Cooper to extend their lead to 33-26.
MSU cut the lead to four over the next minute with Maggie Dwyer scoring six points to Cooper’s two. A jumper by Chastity Reed and a free throw by Cooper extended the lead back to 38-31 with 9:19 remaining.
The Lady Bears knocked down two free throws followed by a three-pointer by Jaleshia Roberson at the 8:28 mark to cut the Trojan lead to two.
After a free throw by Casey Garrison, UALR scored on a jumper by Cooper and a three-pointer by Sitzmann to bring the score to 43-37. The Lady Bears answered back with four straight points to cut the lead to two with 4:17 remaining.
Kursh knocked down a putback, before a three by Roberson for the Lady Bears cut the lead to one with 2:21 on the clock.
UALR’s missed free throws with 1:33 left allowed Missouri State to score five points off of free throws to take a 46-45 lead.
With 13.2 seconds remaining, Butler knocked down a layup to cut the lead to two.
MSU scored on four free throws in the remaining 11 second to UALR’s putback by Butler to win 53-49.
UALR continues road action today as they travel to Oxford, Miss., to face Ole Miss. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
