Lady Texans clinch Region 5 playoff berth with season finale victory over WTC

It was not all smooth sailing for the Lady Texans as they by as many as nine points in the first half and went to the locker room down 24-18 after making only 7-of-24 (.292) shots.

South Plains (9-19, 6-6) jumped all over Western Texas in the second half of play, tying the game for the first time just over two minutes in on a couple of free throws by Stephanie Moore.

Ashley Roberts would help the Lady Texans stretch out to a seven point lead, 48-41, with only 4:14 remaining in the game after sinking the last of her four 3s on the night. 

The Lady Westerners would respond with a 3 of their own from Elissa Betts and Presley Gann turned an SPC turnover into another field goal to bring Western Texas back to within only two points. 

Freshman Sydney Hearn once again made it a two possession game on the next trip down the court with a goal in the paint and just over a minute left on the clock.

With time ticking down, Western Texas was forced to send Roberts to the line four times down the stretch. Roberts, who finished 8-of-8 from the free throw line, made them all to help the Lady Texans finish 13-of-13 from the charity stripe as a team.

WJCAC scoring leader Ashley Roberts led all scorers with a game high 26 points. Roberts made 7-of-13 shots from the field and was 4-of-8 beyond the 3-point line while playing every minute of the game. Sydney Hearn scored nine points and Stephanie Moore chipped in with eight, while also pulling down a game high seven rebounds.

Roberts, Avril Matthews, Raely Parada, and Moore each played for the final time inside the confines of the Texan Dome. 

South Plains will enter the Region 5 tournament as the No. 4 seed from the WJCAC and will face either Hill or Weatherford College who are currently tied for the top-spot of the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference (NTJCAC). The Lady Texans will face the No. 1 seed from the NTJCAC at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 8 at Lubbock Christian University's Rip Griffin Center. 

Western Texas (14-14, 3-8)
Breanna Burton 6-12 2-3 14, Presley Gann 2-6 0-0 4, Elissa Betts 4-9 0-0 10, Brianna Sifford 2-5 1-2 6, Jessica McCarville 1-3 1-2 3, Miranda Grier 4-7 2-2 11, Jacoree Brooks 0-0 0-0 0, Shaylese Shofner 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 19-45 6-9 48

South Plains College (9-19, 6-6)
Raely Parada 1-6 0-0 2, Avril Matthews 0-0 0-0 0, Ashley Roberts 7-13 8-8 26, Moneeka Carter 1-5 0-0 3, Lakeeyscia Griffin 1-1 0-0 2, Shea Myatt 2-7 0-0 4, Sydney Hearn 3-3 3-3 9, Stephanie Moore 3-12 2-2 8. Totals 18-47 13-13 54
SCORE BY PERIODS 1st 2nd TOTAL
Western Texas 24 24 48
South Plains College 18 36 54

FG%: Western Texas .422, South Plains College .383. 3-pt FG:Western Texas 4-8 (Betts 2-4, Sifford 1-2, Grier 1-2), South Plains College 5-16 (Parada 0-3, Roberts 4-8, Carter 1-2, Myatt 0-3). Rebounds: Western Texas 28 (McCarville 7), South Plains College 30 (Moore 7). Fouls Western Texas 13, South Plains College 12. Fouled out: none. Technical: none. Assists: Western Texas 9 (Sifford 3), South Plains College 9 (Myatt 3, Moore 3). Steals: Western Texas 9 (Sifford 3, Grier 3), South Plains College 11 (Roberts 3, Myatt 3, Moore 3). Blocked shots: Western Texas 2 (Betts 1, Shofner 1), South Plains College 0. Turnovers: Western Texas 21, South Plains College 16.