ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Cowgirl basketball team stayed unbeaten Saturday afternoon, using a dominant first quarter and balanced scoring attack to defeat St. Thomas (TX) 82-68 at the Mabee Complex.
The Cowgirls improved to 3-0 on the season after racing to a 27-8 lead in the opening quarter and never trailing. Hardin-Simmons shot 48.3 percent from the floor and connected on 10-of-24 attempts from three-point range while placing five players in double figures.
Dylan Koele led the way with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Tayley Bullen,
Destiny Jamison, and
MaeSyn Gay each added ten points, while
Jacqueline Berry chipped in nine points, eight rebounds and six assists.
The Cowgirls came out firing, making five three-pointers in the opening period while building a 19-point advantage by the end of the first quarter.
Nilaya Gordon sparked the bench with eight points, including a pair of first-quarter three-pointers, as Hardin-Simmons took command early.
Hardin-Simmons carried a 45-24 lead into halftime and extended the margin to 70-42 after three quarters. The Cowgirls' bench contributed 30 points, and the defense forced 18 turnovers while collecting 12 steals.
MaeSyn Gay finished with seven rebounds and two blocked shots, while Jamison added five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Bullen recorded ten points, five rebounds and three steals in the victory.
For St. Thomas (TX), Macie Whitfield scored a game-high 18 points, while Yasmine Aly added 13 points.
The Cowgirls return to action Sunday at home against Puget Sound. Tipoff is scheduled for 12 noon at the Mabee Complex.
--- www.hsuathletics.com ---
