Feb. 24, 2007

Final Stats

BROWNWOOD, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' women's basketball bowed out of the American Southwest Conference Tournament with a 77-62 loss to No. 3 Howard Payne, Saturday afternoon at the Brownwood Coliseum.

HSU never led after a Rachel Cisneroz hit a 3-pointer with 11:01 to play in the first half to make it 17-15. Stacey Blalock and Kim Hoffman then posted back-to-back buckets to give the Lady Jackets a 19-17 lead they never relinquished.

HPU pushed its lead to double digits, 37-27, at the 2:34 mark in the first half, but HSU fought back and did not allow the Lady Jackets' lead to get back to 10 or more until Blalock hit a pair of free throws with 1:53 remaining in the game. Blalock's two points followed a banked-in 3-pointer by Heather Hohertz from the top of the key that began HPU's 12-3 run to close it out.

The Cowgirls shot just 35 percent in the game and only one player reached double figures - Laci Walker with 16 points. Howard Payne hit 30 of 42 free throws in the game. HSU was just 15-of-21 at the free throw line.

Howard Payne All-American Meia Daniels led the Lady Jackets with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Stacey Blalock had 15 points and Kim Hoffman added 13.

HSU fell to 21-5 on the year and Howard Payne improved to 26-1. Three of the five losses have come to the hands of Howard Payne. HSU's postseason fate is in the hands of the NCAA Selection Committee. The field will be announced Sunday evening, with the pairings being announced on Monday morning.