ALLEN, Texas – The No. 20 Angelo State women's basketball team came up just short of defending its Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship, falling to Tarleton State 80-78 in Allen, Texas on Sunday afternoon.

The Belles (24-5) shot 52.6 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from behind the arc. The TexAnns (16-13) outrebounded ASU 33-31 and was able to get to the free throw line 27 times making 21 compared to just 12-of-14 by the Belles.

"You have to compliment Tarleton State," Angelo State head women's basketball coach Kevin Baker said. "They were really prepared and other then the first quarter they played great. We started out fantastic with a lot of defensive energy and forcing turnovers. We put ourselves in transition and built that lead. I felt Tarleton settled in as the game went on and was use to our pressure. It didn't help that they went to free throw line so many times but Tarleton played well and they deserved to win today."
 

Taylor Dorsey followed up her 35 point performance with 26 points and four assists. Lexi Murphy and Jasmine Prophet scored 12 points with all 12 points coming from the three point line for Murphy. Christina Murphy added 11 points and three assists. Dorsey and Murphy were named to the LSC All-Tournament team for their performances.

The Belles got out to a fast start in the first quarter on their way to a 25-14 advantage. Dorsey got the scoring started with a layup as ASU started on a 19-4 run through the first six innings of the game. Dorsey scored 10 of the 19 points and Murphy sank a 3-pointer during the run. Back-to-back layups by Dorsey pushed the lead to 17 at 25-8 but TSU scored the final seven points to trim the deficit to 25-14 at the end of the first quarter.

ASU would match TSU bucket for bucket and maintain a double-digit lead 35-24 with 3:30 to go in the quarter with a Bria Freirson layup.  Tarleton State would answer with a 9-0 run to close out the second quarter but the Belles would hold a 38-33 advantage at the break.

Tarleton State took its first lead of the game on a Hailey Mackenzie 3-pointer. The quarter would feature five ties and eight lead changes. The two teams answered every bucket the other made. The biggest lead was three by TSU at the 4:39 mark but a layup by Prophet followed by a 3-pointer by Robinson put the Belles up 49-47. Tarleton State hit a three and Murphy hit one of her four 3-pointers to keep ASU up by two. The TexAnns answered with a bucket and the two teams would be deadlocked at 56 going into the fourth quarter.

Tarleton State lead throughout the fourth quarter leading by as much as five throughout the quarter. Down 71-66, the Belles got a three pointer from Keanna Kelly and she was fouled. The junior sank the free throw. TSU came down and made a layup but Murphy drained a step back three pointer to tie the game at 73 with 1:55. The Belles had a chance to tie the game down 79-76 but a three pointer was short and TSU would hit a free throw to hold on for an 80-78 win.

Mackenzie led the TexAnns with 23 points while Bailey Wipff scored 18. Ikpeaku Iwobi added 17 and Tiara Tatum chipped in 15 points. The TexAnns will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament

The Belles will find out their opponent for the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament at 9 p.m. tonight.