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Bobcats Fall in Regular Season Finale 88-71
March 8, 2008 ARLINGTON - Joyce Ekworomadu scored 18 points while Marie Moser and Victoria Davis each added 11, but five Texas-Arlington players reached double figures as the Mavericks won the 2007-08 regular season finale 88-71 over Texas State on Saturday. The Bobcats (20-9, 14-2 SLC) still finished with the best Southland Conference record in program history despite the loss and will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Southland Conference Tournament. UTA (18-9, 13-3 SLC) improved its chances of landing the No. 2 seed in the SLC Tournament but still needs help from a UTSA loss. The game started close over the opening minutes as the teams traded baskets over the first three minutes. Kim Cessna hit a three to pull the Bobcats within one at 10-9 at the 15:39 mark before UTA responded with a 7-0 run capped by Shalyn Martin's breakaway lay-up, prompting a Bobcat timeout. Texas State used a 7-0 run of its own to climb back within three midway through the half. UTA built its lead back up to nine, but Victoria Davis got a steal and lay-up before finding Ashley Cole wide open for a three on Texas State's next possession to pull the `Cats to within 29-25 with 6:06 remaining in the first half. The Mavericks clamped down on defense for the rest of the period as the Bobcats made only one field goal the rest of the half and trailed 45-30 at the midway point. An 8-2 Bobcat run started the second half as Texas State got within single digits at 47-38, but UTA again pushed their lead back up to 51-38 with 15:32 left in the game. Cole hit a three at the 14:23 mark that made it 51-43 Mavericks, but it marked the last time Texas State was within single digits. Martin's three put UTA up 70-50 with 8:55 to play, and the lead got as high as 24 in the final four minutes.
Texas State got a late push off consecutive steals by DeGrate that helped pull the Bobcats to within 84-66 with 2:27 remaining, but UTA's lead proved too much to overcome as Texas State dropped the 88-71 decision. Martin finished with a game-high 19 points while adding 10 rebounds. Seniors Tiffeny Riles and Maryann Abanobi, who were honored before the game, also finished with 17 and 14 points respectively. Tamara Simmons also netted 16 and Candice Champion 12 to round out the scoring for UTA. The Bobcats will now travel to Katy for the SLC Tournament where they will face either McNeese State, Southeastern Louisiana or Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12. |
