Jan. 21, 2006
Box Score
THIBODAUX, La. - Defense continued to be the name of the game for the Texas-Arlington women's basketball team as it forced 16 turnovers and blocked six shots in keeping its Southland Conference record unblemished with a 60-40 road victory over Nicholls State. The victory, coupled with a Stephen F. Austin loss, leaves the Mavs as the only unbeaten team in SLC women's action.
UTA (12-5, 6-0) got the offense rolling as Ashley Bobb hit a three-pointer from the top of the key. The Lady Colonels would get a basket inside and a three-pointer of their own from Jamie Octave to tie the score 5-5.
Wallace would give UTA the lead for good with a three-pointer of her own that ignited a 15-2 run over the next 4:47 to put the Mavs ahead 20-7. Following Wallace's three, Melanie Lane would hit a foul shot and then convert an old-fashioned three-point play. Tojjinay Thompson would get into the act with a short jumper before the Mavs took advantage of the Lady Colonels zone and got back-to-back three-pointers from Jamie Buxkemper and Wallace.
Octave would temporarily halt the run before Wallace came calling again with her third three-ball of the half and Kristi Dudley got into the act with a reverse layup along the baseline to extend the lead to 25-9 at the 10:14 mark.
NSU (2-15, 1-5) would mount a small rally as Funaki Kefu hit a bucket inside and Tiffany Jones converted a three-point play. UTA quickly responded by scoring eight of the next 10 points with Maryann Abanobi ending the spurt with a pull-up jumper from the left wing. Octave would hit the final shot of the half to send the teams to intermission with the Mavs ahead 34-18.
The three-ball carried over into the second half as the half started with back-to-back three-pointers from Wallace and Abanobi to increase the lead to 22 points.
The Lady Colonels did not go away as they battled back to within 11 points on a basket from Keyona McKibbens. UTA would turn to Thompson as she would hit two-straight jumpers, but was answered each time by Octave to keep the advantage at 11 points with 8:57 remaining.
The Mavs would not let the score get any closer as on the ensuing possession, Buxkemper followed up a miss and banked it in and Wallace followed with a pair of freebies. Octave would answer with another basket before a pair of Dudley free throws and a Lane basket inside set up Abanobi to drive in the dagger with a three-pointer from the left wing to push the advantage to 57-37 with 3:21 remaining.
The two teams would exchange free throws in the final minutes to end the contest with the Mavs prevailing 60-40.
Wallace led the Mavs offense as she scored a game-high 21 points, including four three-pointers. She also added five rebounds, three blocks and three assists. Lane tied her career-best of nine points that she set just two days earlier. She also added two blocks. Octave led the Lady Colonels with 19 points.
The Mavs return to action on Jan. 26 as they host Stephen F. Austin at 7 p.m. at Texas Hall. The game will be televised on Comcast Cable.
