Dec. 30, 2006

Final Stats

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' women's basketball team showed the effects of a 23-day layoff, but were able to hold off Texas Wesleyan University, 58-49, to improve to 7-2 on the year in non-conference action in Fort Worth on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams started off slow, before the Cowgirls went on a 8-0 run from the 10:29 mark to the 9:31 mark to take a 17-7 lead. Six of the points came at the line and the Cowgirls would never trail the rest of the game. Texas Wesleyan cut the lead to 24-21 at halftime.

It went back and forth in the beginning of the second half, until back-to-back 3-pointers by juniors Shelby Hodges and Rachel Cisneroz gave the Cowgirls a 40-31 lead with 10:22 to go in the game. The Lady Rams came right back with eight straight points to cut it to 40-39 with 7:35 to play.

The Cowgirls were able to pull away down the stretch thanks to some good free throw shooting. The Cowgirls were 8-for-10 in the last four minutes of the game. HSU shot just 29.8 percent from the field in the game, but limited TWU to 30.4 percent and forced 25 turnovers.

Lyssa Dennard led the Cowgirls with 15 points and Jeni Hobbs added 14 and Hodges chipped in 10. The only player in double figures for the Lady Rams was Moneke Smallwood with 11.

HSU will host UT-Dallas on Thursday in American Southwest Conference action at the Mabee Complex, beginning at 5:30 p.m.