SAN ANGELO - The No. 9 Angelo State women's basketball team started out it's 2016-17 season on the right foot Saturday, defeating Texas A&M International on the road, 82-45.
Every single player on the team scored at least one point for the Belles (1-0). Leading all scorers was ASU point guard Taylor Dorsey who had 20 in the game, and Chenelle Pelle also finished in the double digits with 11 points.
"We played better and better tonight as the game went on. The further along the game went, the more we improved. I was really impressed with how we played in the third quarter. This team has a long way to go, but I feel that we really took a step in the right direction and got some great minutes from our team off the bench."
The Belles forced the Dust Devils to turn the ball over 24 times in the game and scored 34 points off those turnovers. ASU dominated in the paint as well, scoring 48 in the paint and getting 17second-chance points.
Angelo State started out the game hot, scoring 13 of the game's first 15 points to open up an early lead. The Dust Devils went to work on their comeback and were able to bring the score within five with 3:45 left in the first quarter, but a jumper from Christina Robinson and a layup from Bria Frierson pushed the lead back to eight to end the quarter.
The Belles continued to extend their lead early in the second quarter forcing stops and getting the ball to Jasmine Prophet and Frierson in the paint for layups. Lexi Murphy capped off a 13-4 run to start the quarter with a three-pointer that put the Belles up31-16 with seven minutes left to play in the half. The two teams traded baskets before Texas A&M International went on a 6-2 run to end the quarter that brought them within single digits.
After the break, ASU imposed its will upon the Dust Devils. The Belles were able to score 21 points in the third quarter compared to just seven for Texas A&M International and outscore them 46-18 overall in the second half. The Belles opened the half on a 12-4 run and never looked back, ending the quarter on a three-pointer from Keanna Kelly the pushed the lead to 23 points.
Angelo State stayed hot to start the fourth quarter, scoring the first 13 points of the quarter and opening up a 36-point lead with 7:34 left in the game. The Dust Devils used a small 6-2 run to cut into the lead, but the Belles scored the final seven points in the contest, ending the game with a 37-point win.
The Belles will stay on the road for their next two games, facing the University of Minnesota Crookston and East Central University in a tournament at St. Mary's on November 25 and 26, before returning home to face Texas A&M Kingsville on November 29.
