SUN BELT WOMEN
UALR 48, TEXAS-ARLINGTON 38
The UALR women's basketball team was held to its lowest scoring output in a Sun Belt game this season Saturday in Arlington, Texas, but the Trojans still managed a program first.
UALR scored 20 points off 21 turnovers to help combat its own poor offensive output and beat Texas-Arlington 48-38 at College Park Arena. The victory clinched UALR'S first outright Sun Belt Conference regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament that begins March 11 in New Orleans.
The Trojans, who have won six regular-season division titles, will open the tournament at 11:30 a.m. March 11 at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans against the No. 8 seed.
UALR (24-4, 17-2) got the chance to sew up the title when Arkansas State lost at Texas State earlier Saturday. The Trojans accomplished that even if they had to work a bit harder than the last time the two teams met.
UALR beat Texas-Arlington 66-38 on Jan. 24 in Little Rock. The same defense was there, but Texas-Arlington never let the Trojans pull away despite scoring their fewest points in a Sun Belt game since a 48-41 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on Feb. 28, 2013.
After LaShanda Green's three-pointer cut UALR's lead to 41-38 with 5:12 left, Texas-Arlington didn't score another point while committing three turnovers and missing its final five shots.
Shanity James and Ka'Nesheia Cobbins had 12 points each for the Trojans, while Alexius Dawn and Taylor Gault had eight points each. UALR made 17 of 42 shots from the floor (40.5) and 5 of 15 three-pointers and was outrebounded 32-23.
Cierra Johnson had 11 points for Texas-Arlington (15-12, 9-9), while Rebekah Van Dijk had 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Mavericks made 18 of 42 shots (42.9 percent) from the field and 1 of 7 three-pointers, but they committed 21 turnovers and the Trojans turned those into 20 points.
UALR didn't trail the final 15 minutes of the first half, but never led by more than 23-14 with 4:35 left and led 29-21 at halftime.
UALR pushed its lead to 37-25 seven minutes into the half, but Texas-Arlington pulled to within 41-38 with 5:16 left. The Trojans held the Mavericks scoreless the rest of the game. Gault made four free throws and James made her first three-pointer of the season to seal the game.
Sports on 03/01/2015