Feb. 20, 2010

Box Score

ARLINGTON - Texas - Meghan Nelson has done everything for the Mavericks. Except stay on the court.

Nelson, plagued by getting into foul trouble all season, once again had to get used to the bench Saturday afternoon.

Compounding the fact was UTA (12-13, 7-5) allowed Central Arkansas to shoot 60 percent in the first half in route to a 67-59 loss in Texas Hall.

"Meghan's just an aggressive player, so she's going to pick up a charge here or there," coach Samantha Morrow said. "We've got to have her out on the floor and she knows that. No one feels worse about it that she does."

Nelson picked up her fourth foul with 15:23 to go in the second half with the Mavs trailing 42-31. To make matters worse Nelson picked up her third foul just moments earlier and Morrow was in route to sub Nelson out.

Nelson said it's a problem that she has and something she alone can fix.

"I'm still going to be the same aggressive players," Nelson said. "I'm just need to learn who's calling what and how the game's being called."

With Nelson out the Mavericks failed to keep any sort of offensive rhythm. Not as if UTA was cooking before Nelson went out. The Mavericks shot only 33 percent in the first half.

In fact, the Mavericks didn't connect on a shot outside the paint until junior guard Tamara Simmons' baseline jumper with 15:42 to play in the second half.

"We came out very flat and when you start missing you lose a little confidence in yourself," Simmons said. "For myself I felt like that's what was going on in the first half."

UTA didn't go down without a fight however. After trailing by as many as 15 in the second half, the Mavericks clawed to within three at 56-53.

A 17-5 run was what brought the Mavericks back, along with some three pointers finally finding their mark.

Simmons connected and sophomore guard Nicole Terral each connected on two three pointers during the run. Terral's second three was what brought the Mavs to within three, the closest the game was in the entire second half.

"I knew I need to come out there and keep shooting," Simmons said. "If you stop shooting you're never going to make anything."

After the Mavericks run, the Sugar Bears closed the game out with some stifling defense as the Mavs only scored nine points over the final 5 minutes.

Freshman forward Megan Herbert led Central Arkansas with 23 points and 12 rebounds, both games highs.

Morrow said this is the sort of the game that was between the ears of her players. She said they know what to do, but for some reason, the Mavericks didn't execute the game plan today.

"It seems like some other team steals our uniforms sometimes," Morrow said. "I don't like that team. I like the team that executes."