Slow Starts Haunts Women’s Basketball In Home Opener

A 3-for-13 shooting performance from the field in the first quarter proved to be too much for the Texas Southern University women’s basketball team to overcome in a 75-49 home loss to Old Dominion University.

Ariana Avent led the way for the Tigers (0-2) with 13 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal as ODU (1-1) shot over 50 percent from the field in the first quarter and took advantage of the cold start from TSU to build a 23-10 lead after the opening quarter.

Micah Gray’s jumper at the 6:54 mark of the first quarter ended the scoreless drought for the Tigers to open the game, but it would be a lengthy portion of the first stanza before TSU scored again.

Avent’s pair of made free throws with 2:34 left in the first quarter cut the deficit down to 21-4 and was the start of an 8-0 run that also included another made free throw from Avent, a layup by Jaida Belton and a three-pointer from Alisa Brown cutting the first quarter deficit down to 21-10.

The Tigers would draw to within 10 points twice in the second quarter including the final time of 1:05 left in the half when Alisa Knight sank a pair from the charity stripe.

From then on, anytime that the Tigers would make a run to try and get back into the game, the Monarchs would answer back with an even bigger run essentially ending all hopes TSU had of a comeback.

ODU’s Kaye Clark was the top performer for either team as she scorched the nets for 18 points to go along with nine steals, four rebounds, two assists and a block.

Knight came off the bench to play 32 minutes and would be second on the Tigers’ roster in points scored with 10 on two made three pointers and four converted free throws while Belton led the Tigers in rebounding with six.
 
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TSU will make the roughly 145-mile trek north to Nacogdoches, Texas, on Sunday, Nov. 13, to take on Stephen F. Austin State University. Tipoff from SFA’s William R. Johnson Coliseum is scheduled for 2 p.m.