STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Emmeri Archer set a new career-high and Shaq Debose matched her season-high as both scored 15 points in a 60-43 defeat for the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball team at the hands of the Tarleton State TexAnns on Saturday at Wisdom Gym in Stephenville, Texas.
The Javelinas outrebounded their hosts, 40-33, with Ope Ibrahim pulling down a team-high nine boards. TAMUK also set a new season-high with 12 steals.
FIRST QUARTER
After Tarleton hit the game's first shot, Archer drained a three for the Javelinas. The TexAnns responded with nine straight points for an 11-3 lead. Sadie Russell ended the run by knocking down a pair of free throw. The only basket over the quarter's final 3:40 came courtesy of Tarleton's Nina Alvarez, who hit a layup just before the buzzer.
SECOND QUARTER
Mackenzie Hailey hiked her team's lead to 10 with a layup and she added two more soon after to make the score 17-5. A free throw and a jumper by Tiara Tatum pushed TSU's lead to 15 before foul shots by Archer and a bucket courtesy of Debose cut it 11. After the sides traded scores, the TexAnns tacked on three more points at the end of the half, capped by a Baylee Peck layup, for a 25-11 edge.
THIRD QUARTER
The second half started with both teams going back and forth before a trey by Tatum was followed by a Katie Webster layup to up TSU's advantage to 19. A minute later, Webster canned a triple and Tatum hit from deep again soon after, pushing the score to 40-15.
TAMUK managed to put together a run, beginning at the 4:28 mark with a layup by Debose. After a free throw by Antoinette Shrepee, Debose hit two foul shots and added another basket, bringing the Javs to within 18. Hailey responded with two for TSU, but the Javelinas tacked four more points, the final three coming on a three-point play by Debose that capped an 11-2 spurt by the visitors. Tarleton fought back with consecutive threes and Archer swished a jumper, bringing the score to 48-28 at the end of the period.
FOURTH QUARTER
Two free throws by Tatum were immediately answered by a pair of foul shots from Brynae Thompson. Three more Kingsville free throws cut their deficit to 17, but Hailey hit shots on consecutive possessions for a 54-33 lead. Tarleton's sophomore forward would end the day with 15 points, tied for the game-high.
Debose and Hailey proceeded to trade buckets and Shrepee tossed one in for two. McKinley Bostad contributed a pair from the charity stripe and Archer came back with her second three-pointer of the afternoon. After Lucy Benson scored for the TexAnns, Kristina Kana hit a free throw and a layup by Archer capped the scoring.
The next stop for the Javelinas is their home court, which they'll be defending on Thursday against the visiting UT Permian Basin Falcons. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. To receive content for Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball, you can follow @TAMUKWBB on Twitter and Instagram, like the official Facebook page of Javelina athletics (/JavelinaSports) and subscribe to the Javelina Athletics YouTube channel.
