In front of 206 fans, the largest crowd of the season, the Sul Ross State women's basketball team tipped off with nationally-ranked Hardin-Simmons University.
The Lobos had a solid effort, but they fell to the Cowgirls, 82-71, at the Pete P. Gallego Center on Thursday night.
>> HOW IT HAPPENED:
Sul Ross State was down 4-0 early on until
Marley Rokas made a layup and then
Victoria Aguayo landed a jumper in the paint to tie up the score.
Hardin-Simmons then went up by five at the 5:31 mark.
Aguayo got the Lobos to within three with a layup off a dish from
Kayley Diaz.
The Cowgirls surged ahead with a six-point lead. Rokas then cut the deficit to four on a made layup with an assist from
Ariana Escalante.
Hardin-Simmons took a nine-point lead at the 4:10 mark before
Cheyanne Bonilla knocked down a three-pointer to cut the deficit to six.
With 1:13 to go in the first quarter, the Cowgirls held another nine-point lead.
Sul Ross State went on a 5-0 run to get to within four points as Escalante hit a three-pointer and
Jema Padilla made a layup.
Hardin-Simmons closed the quarter on a 4-0 run.
The Lobos began the second quarter using a 6-0 run as
Emily Bunger scored twice in the paint and Diaz made a jumper in the paint.
Hardin-Simmons finished the first half on a 10-3 run to extend its lead to 13.
The Cowgirls led by as much as 17 with 9:08 in the third quarter.
Sul Ross State went off on a 6-0 run as Diaz scored four points in the paint and Bonilla made a jumper in the paint to chisel the deficit down to 11.
Diaz later landed a clutch three with 6:04 to go to get the Lobos to within 10.
Hardin-Simmons went back up by 17 as it finished the quarter with a 4-0 run.
Sul Ross State put together a 7-0 run to get the deficit back down to 10. Aguayo scored five points during the offensive spree as she hit a three-pointer.
The Lobos kept on chipping away as they brought down the Hardin-Simmons lead to eight after
Caitlyn Corley stepped up and hit a clutch three at the 3:26 mark.
>> RECORDS: Sul Ross State (6-13); Hardin-Simmons (16-3)
>> GAME NOTES:
- Rokas tallied her third straight double-double to give her four for the season. She finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
- Aguayo added with 14 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
- Diaz and Bonilla each scored nine points. The duo combined for 11 assists, seven rebounds and four steals.
- Escalante tallied eight points, two steals and six rebounds.
- Corley scored seven points.
- The Lobos shot 6 for 8 from the free throw line. Rokas was a perfect 4 for 4 from the line.
- Sul Ross State knocked down a season-high seven 3-pointers. Aguayo and Escalante had two each.
- Sul Ross State grabbed more rebounds than Hardin-Simmons, 36-32.
- The attendance of 206 fans surpassed the previous high of 169 recorded on Nov. 30 against the University of the Ozarks.
>> UP NEXT: The Lobos host McMurry University at 1 p.m. CST on Saturday, Jan. 27.
