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Women’s Final: Ozarks 64, LeTourneau 63
Men’s Final: LeTourneau 86, Ozarks 64
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
LONGVIEW, Texas – A runner in the lane by senior Ashley Reed allowed for the LeTourneau University women’s basketball team to tie the game at 63-63 with two seconds remaining. Then a foul granted the University of the Ozarks to hit one of two free throws and escape Solheim Arena with a 64-63 win on Thursday, January 25.
The one-point heartbreaker leaves LeTourneau with a 3-15 overall record and 0-15 mark in the American Southwest Conference while the Eagles picked up win number four to improve to 4-13 overall and 2-9 in the ASC.
“We did have a stronger second half tonight which we have not had lately, but Ozarks dominated the paint tonight, and it hurt us in the long run,” said head coach Cassi Rozanski in a post-game interview. “We didn’t have anybody that could stop her, and we had to try and battle back from bad first half, but in the end ran out of time.”
A 36-26 advantage in points in the paint would go in favor of the Eagles despite a 39-34 lead in rebounds for the YellowJackets who also had 17 second-chance points. LETU shot 50 percent (17-for-34) from the field in the second half and hit five treys in the game, but managed to basket just eight-of-13 free throw attempts (61.5 percent).
Senior leadership would be evident throughout the game for LeTourneau with Reed scoring 13 points and dishing out five assists while Savannah Cummings had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman Keauna Whitfield led LETU with 16 points on seven-of-14 shooting to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Only four players would wind up in the scoring column for Ozarks led by a game-high 28 points from Diamond Goodwyn.
More ASC hoops action for LeTourneau is in store on Saturday afternoon when the YellowJackets play host to the University of Texas-Tyler in Solheim Arena with tip-off set for 2:00 p.m. Texas-Tyler is 11-7 overall and 7-4 following a 61-56 win over ASC East leader East Texas Baptist University.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
LONGVIEW, Texas – Limiting their turnovers to just seven in the entire game, the LeTourneau University men’s basketball team turned in one of their most complete performances of the year to down the University of Ozarks by a final score of 84-63 in Solheim Arena on Thursday, January 25.
The win allows for the YellowJackets to remain in a tie atop the American Southwest Conference East Division standings with East Texas Baptist while improving to 15-3 overall and 9-2 in the ASC. Ozarks falls to 3-15 overall and 1-10 in the ASC.
“We did what we needed to do tonight, and it seemed like we came out on defense with a purpose tonight which frustrated their players early,” said head coach Dan Miller in a post-game interview. “We came out a little sluggish in the second half and Ozarks played well but we pulled away towards the end, and I was pleased with our victory tonight.”
In addition to limiting themselves to just seven turnovers in the game, LeTourneau held a commanding 30-3 advantage in points off turnovers in addition to shooting 42.7 (32-for-75) from the field in the game. A tight rebounding battle saw LETU hold a 42-39 lead on the glass while also picking up ten steals as part of forcing 20 Ozarks turnovers.
Senior Alec Colhoff turned in a team-high 23-point performance on the night and added five rebounds while Justin Moore and Caleb Loggins each put up 13 points. Sophomore Nate West and senior Caylab Herrera each scored 12 points while Loggins grabbed a team-high eight rebounds to go along with two assists and two steals in just 21 minutes of action. Skyler Barnes led the Ozarks with 17 points off the bench.
Saturday will feature a rivalry renewed for the YellowJackets, playing host to the University of Texas-Tyler at 4 p.m. The Patriots fell on the road to East Texas Baptist by a final of 80-79 on Thursday night after seeing a game-winning three go in as time expired for the Tigers.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
RICHARDSON, Texas – The LeTourneau University women’s tennis team has been picked to finish third in the American Southwest Conference East Division in the annual preseason poll while junior Terin Murray and sophomore Gracie Favela have been named to the players to watch list.
LETU received 44 points in the poll released Wednesday afternoon following a vote of the league’s head coaches, and trails only Texas-Tyler (72 points, 13 first-place votes) and East Texas Baptist (69 points, six first-place votes) in the East Division. Belhaven (40 points), University of the Ozarks (31 points) and Louisiana College (17 points) rounded out the East Division.
Over in the West Division, Texas-Dallas has been picked to win the division with a total of 82 points and ten first-place votes followed by McMurry which secured 70 points and one first-place vote. Hardin-Simmons (65 points, one first-place vote) came in third in the poll followed by Concordia Texas (53 points), Mary Hardin-Baylor (40 points), Howard Payne University (34 points) and Sul Ross State University (23) to round out the poll.
Murray played all matches at No. 3 singles for the YellowJackets a year ago while also competing with Rachel Morisseau at No. 1 doubles for LETU.
Favela comes to LeTourneau following one year at Imperial Valley College in Imperial, California where she finished the year ranked the No. 23 singles player in the Oracle ITA Collegiate Tennis California Community College Athletic Association Rankings. Additionally, the Brawley, California native advanced to the round of 64 at No. 1 singles in the CCCAA State Championships and round of 16 in doubles action.
“I am excited to see what these two women will accomplish this spring,” said head tennis coach Suzanne Merritt. “Terin is returning for her third spring season and has become a stronger, smarter player each year and is a fighter on the court as well as a team leader.” “I believe she will have some key wins this year and push her teammates to play their best.” “Gracie transferred to us after a solid season in California last year and had a tremendous work ethic and drive to succeed and I believe we will see another strong season for her in the ASC.”
LeTourneau will open their 2018 season at home on Saturday, February 3rd when the YellowJackets take on McMurry University at 9 a.m. at the Davis Tennis Courts.
Matt Kinney
Sports Information Director