Jan. 13, 2010
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Box Score
By Josh Bowe for utamavs.com
ARLINGTON - Texas - Just one more rebound. That's all UT Arlington needed in the final seconds to give itself a chance for a game-winning shot.
The defense was there and the missed shot followed. Everything was there but the rebound. Lamar collected the offensive board, made its foul shots and walked off the court victorious over UTA 67-63.
"In the first half we were pursuing the basketball," coach Samantha Morrow said. "I remember two specific times we didn't go get the ball. We didn't box anyone out because no one was there, but we didn't go get it and they got the rebound."
One of those occasions couldn't of come at a worse time. Trailing 65-63 with 42 seconds left, Lamar hoisted a three pointer to seal the game. As Morrow said, the Mavs simply didn't go after the ball.
But the game wasn't lost there. The Mavs had plenty of chances to pad a 41-28 halftime lead. 28 turnovers helped cough up the lead and the game. Morrow couldn't of been more disappointed in her teams offensive execution, or lack thereof.
"There wasn't any," Morrow said of the offensive execution down the stretch. "Some of that is we were real slow getting things executing.
"We shot ourselves in the foot by not rebounding, not blocking out and some of us not executing like we wanted to."
Lamar was lead by all-conference junior guard Jenna Plumley. Plumley, who's known for her penchant for chucking up plenty of shots behind the arc, finished with a career high 26 points going 7-for-16 from three.
Morrow wasn't surprised by her game. She knows all about it. It's why she was even more puzzled by her amount of open looks.
"We left her open for the three on the last shot," Morrow said. "We were trying to go over on ball screens and not give her open looks."
Senior guard Meghan Nelson credited Lamar's low-post presence that led to Plumley's open three's. Lamar senior forward Brittney Williams feasted in the paint with 17 points.
"I think because they did have bigger people inside we would try to make sure they wouldn't get the easy bucket," Nelson said. "But then they would just kick it out."
Nelson had a rough shooting night, 7-for-21, with a majority of her shots coming around the rim. It was a theme for all the Mavs as a lot of easy buckets spun in and out of the rim.
"Its frustrating at first, but you have to look for the bigger picture," Nelson said. "You just have to get the rebound and keep going and going."
Junior guard Tamara Simmons led UTA with 19. But the problem was all 19 came in the first half. Simmons found herself open off of screens and penetration off of Lamar's zone.
Lamar switched its defense, and forced other Mavs to beat them.
"I got a little passive on the offensive end," Simmons said. "I can't put points on the board if you're not taking shots."
Morrow isn't disappointed with Simmons. Morrow said Lamar face guarded Sammons more and refused to let her get open looks. What Morrow is disappointed with is the result; especially considering it was in Texas Hall and the 13 point first half lead.
"It's frustrating because we did it to ourselves," Morrow said. "Poor decision making and turnovers killed us."
MAVERICK NOTES
A GAME OF RUNS
The Mavs ran out to a quick 5-0 lead just two minutes into the game. That lead quickly evaporated as the Cardinals turned four early turnovers into a 13 to 2 run. UTA ended up leading at the half 41-28. Lamar wasn't content getting blown out. The score quickly became 53-52 and Lamar hit big shots down the stretch to pull out the win.
PLUMLEY LIKES THE MONEY BALL
On the season 123 of Plumely's 158 shots were from the three point line... or deeper. She took multiple shots from two or three feet behind the arc and connected on 7-of-16. She scored a career high 26 for the game.
SIMMONS MAKES IT RAIN
Simmons started the game 6-for-7 (5-for-5 from three) for a quick 19 points in the first half. She ended up shooting 5-of-6 on three for the night. Lamar shut down the open looks for Simmons in the second half and she was only able to take one shot.
LEARN TO CRAWL BEFORE YOU WALK
It seems that both teams forgot the saying and went straight to walking. Although it is the first rule learned the number of travels called bordered on insane.
STAT O' THE NIGHT
26. Jenna Plumley lit up the scoreboard for a career high 26 points. Plumley hit the dagger as time was winding down and iced the game with two free throws.
