Thirty turnovers. That is a turnover every 1 minute and 33 seconds. The Wildcats could have won the most important basketball game of the season Monday night if only they would have committed 28 turnovers. But two bad passes on late possessions doomed the ‘Cats to their second straight loss to the Angelo State University Rambelles.
“Giving a team 30 extra possessions is not going to win you a basketball game,” head coach Shawna Lavender said. “We got away from doing things right. It was a disciple thing.”
With 6 minutes left the Wildcats found themselves down by eight and in need of a comeback. They got just that thanks to six crucial points from center Kelsey Smith. With 2 minutes left the Wildcats led by one, 62-61, but the ‘Cats wouldn’t score again as Angelo State closed out their fifth conference win of the year.
In a game marred by fouls, ASU only dressed eight players. When two of their eight fouled out it looked like ACU had all the momentum. But, in a matter of 30 seconds both Mack Lankford and Smith fouled out. With two big offensive threats out of the game the Wildcats instantly became sloppy with the ball and gave the game away.
“As coaches and players you have to learn to adjust to the way the game is officiated,” Lavender said. “Because of almost 50 fouls neither team could get into the flow of the game.”
Lavender was quick to give credit though to a good Angelo State squad.
“They did a lot of things right even though they only had six there at the end,” Lavender said. “A lot of tough injuries have really affected their season, and for them to come in and get a win on the road with only eight was a testament to their coaching.”
It was a team effort when it came to giving the ball to the Rambelles. Four Wildcats committed at least four turnovers while eight had at least two. The Wildcats’ three main scorers posted double digits in points with Smith at 22, Lankford at 15 and senior Autumn Whitaker at 13. Other than those three, the rest of Lavender’s team combined for a mere 12.
The loss was a big one for the Wildcats as it dropped them into fourth place and turned the pressure up to get some crucial wins down the stretch. Only the top four Lone Star Conference South teams make the playoffs and LSC newcomer Incarnate Word is right on the Wildcat’s heels only a half game back in fifth place.
A chance for some redemption comes quickly as the ‘Cats will play their third game in five days on Wednesday in Moody Coliseum against West Texas A&M University. The women start at 5:30 p.m. and the men will play immediately after.
