Henderson State Outguns UWF, 63-49

Argos Can’t Rally From 18-2 Hole

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Henderson State University scored 18 of the game’s first 20 points and never looked back, taking down the University of West Florida, 63-49, on day one of the 2010 UWF Thanksgiving Classic. UWF falls to 3-1 with the loss.

The Lady Reddies (4-1) never led by less than ten points after building their early bulge. Nyesha Adams scored 17 points to pace HSU, while Marsharae Brown added ten.

UWF shot just 27.8% in taking their first loss of the season. Octavia Bearden was the lone Argonaut in double-figures en route to her first career double-double, with 13 points and 13 rebounds. UWF turned the ball over 27 times, which the Lady Reddies turned into 16 points.

Henderson State scored the first nine points of the game, with a Brown three-pointer giving the visitors a 9-0 lead with 18:02 left. West Florida finally got on the board at the 17:48 mark, when Bearden scored off of a feed from Keaundrea Merriewether, but HSU countered with another 9-0 spurt. A jumper from Krissica Harper made the score 18-2 with 15:37 left in the opening half.

UWF failed to score more than three consecutive points in the first half, and Henderson State was eager to capitalize. A lay-up from Harper gave the Lady Reddies their first 20-point lead of the game, at 36-16, with 3:25 left in the first period. The bulge was 39-23 heading into the halftime break.

HSU started the second half much like the first, opening on a 6-0 run and taking a 45-23 lead on a bucket from Adams with 17:32 remaining.

West Florida was able to make things interesting midway through the half after capitalizing on a string of Henderson State turnovers. Emily Erland hit a pair of free throws to cut the gap to 47-34 with 10:52 left.

The Argos sliced the deficit to ten points on two separate occasions but could never get any closer. Sher’Ryan Scott sank a pair of free throws with 8:51 left to make the score 50-40, but Adams responded on the ensuing HSU possession with a three-point bomb. At the 6:04 mark, Jessica Young hit a freebie to make the gap 53-43, but again it was Adams stalling the momentum with two free shots on the next possession. The Argos would never again threaten.

Young finished with eight points and 11 rebounds, as the Argos won the battle of the glass, 49-39. Scott also had eight points, while Erland added seven.

UWF looks to start a new winning streak on Saturday in the final game of the Thanksgiving Classic, when they face Goldey-Beacom College. Tip time is slated for 4 pm.

For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.