LAWTON, Oklahoma - The No. 4/7 Angelo State women's basketball team faced its largest deficit of the season at 13 points but battled back on the road to beat Cameron 79-76 in Lawton.
The Belles won their 10th straight game to start the season and are 10-0 and 4-0 in the Lone Star Conference. It is the sixth time in program history to win at least 10 games in a season and it is the best start to the season since winning 16 straight in 2003-04.
"Cameron is a great offensive basketball team and they have so many people you have to guard," Angelo State head women's basketball coach Kevin Baker said. "I was so proud of our resiliency today. We didn't play our best game but I thought we gritted out teeth and figured out a way to win."
ASU shot 40.9 from the field and was able to get to the free throw line 31 times, making 23 of those shots (74.2-percent). Cameron (3-6, 1-2 LSC) hit seven 3-pointers and forced 17 ASU turnovers. The Belles were aided by 39 bench points and a 49-45 edge in rebounding including 34-29 on the defensive end.
The Belles were led in scoring by Taylor Dorsey's 22. Jasmine Prophet recorded her first double-double of the season with 17 points and a season high 12 rebounds. Chenelle Pelle chipped in 13 points while Lexi Murphy grabbed a career high 10 rebounds. All nine players that entered the game at least scored two points and grabbed one rebound.
Cameron came out of the gate on a 16-5 run as the Belles struggled from the field. Angelo State saw its biggest deficit of the year down 22-9 with 2:04 left in the first quarter. Prophet and Bria Frierson would hit back-to-back layups to cut the lead to just nine at the end of the first at 22-13.
The Belles continued to find its rhythm offensively in the second quarter as Frierson sank another layup. After a missed Aggie shot, Dorsey drove to the lane and hit a layup and was fouled. The senior sank the free throw to trim it CU's lead to four points. Down 24-20 a couple minutes later, Dorsey and Prophet went to work to tie the game. Dorsey was able to get to the paint for a layup and Prophet hit a jumper in the paint on a fast break. After a Cameron turnover, Prophet was fouled on the shot and made both free throws to tie the game with 4:52 to go in the second quarter. The two teams would trade leads four times and tie the game four times before Cameron took a 35-32 advantage at the break.
Cameron came out of halftime and would lead a majority of the third quarter until a free throw by Prophet tied the game for the fifth time at 44. A Kiahna Curry jumper gave ASU a 46-44 lead but the Aggies tied it up on the next possession. The Belles would take its largest lead of the game at 52-49 before a CU layup made it 52-51 ASU going into the fourth quarter.
The two teams would trade leads to start out the fourth quarter. Cameron built a four point lead and the Belles responded with a five point lead at 61-56 with 7:08 to go. With 5:33 left to play, the two teams were tied for the 10th time at 65 each. Prophet went to work down low and was able to score a layup to give the Belles a lead they wouldn't relinquish. ASU wouldn't led Cameron get closer to three points and was able to make 9-of-13 free throws in the fourth quarter to secure the 79-76 win.
Savanna James and Natalie Halbleib led Cameron with double-doubles. James finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds while Halbleib score 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
The other 10 game win streaks include 16 in 1993-94, 11 and 12 straight in 2002-03, 16 straight in 2003-04 and 10 straight in 2007-08.
The Belles will return to the Junell Center with a matchup against rival Tarleton State on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 5:30 p.m.
