HOUSTON, TX – The University of St. Thomas women's basketball team dropped a non-conference game to Arlington Baptist Wednesday at the Jerabeck Activity & Athletic Center, 86-74.
The Celts (2-3) held a two-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but the Patriots buried five of their 14 triples in the final period, outscoring UST, 30-16, down the stretch.
"They have always been an uptempo team that likes to run and gun, likes to shoot the three," Celts head coach Jae Cross said about the Patriots. "We gave up too many opportunities for them to be able to do what they like to do. We've got a lot of room to, obviously, get better. That's what these games are for. Sometimes you have to be challenged and tested."
After playing from behind most of the way, the Celts knotted the game at 45-45 when Sheridan Hopkins (JR/Galveston, TX) scored with less than 3:00 left in the third quarter. Bresha Orange (SR/Longview, TX) sank two free throws to put St. Thomas ahead, and the Celts took a 58-56 lead into the fourth quarter.
Daija Stanford's steal and layup gave Arlington Baptist (2-4) a 61-60 lead early in the fourth period. The Patriots pushed the lead to five 3:30 in the quarter. Aerial Starks (FR/Houston, TX) split a pair from the free throw line with 5:24 remaining as the Celts cut it to 69-65. But Arlington Baptist's Erica Strawn hit a 3-pointer to give the Patriots a 72-65 lead. CheBria Porter (JR/Houston, TX) scored, and Starks came up with a loose ball before sinking two free throws as the Celts pulled within 72-69. But the Patriots went 8 of 11 from the free throw line in the final quarter to put it away.
Arlington Baptist jumped out to a 30-22 first quarter lead. Meagan Woodward canned four triples for the Patriots in the opening period. St. Thomas outscored ABU, 16-12, in the second quarter to cut the halftime deficit to 42-38. Zariah McInnis (SO/Richmond, TX) grabbed an offensive rebound in the paint and knocked down a jumper with 28 seconds left in the half to pull the Celts within four.
The Celts went 16 of 36 from the field in the first half. Arlington Baptist was 15 of 40, including 9-for-19 from three-point range.
Starks scored 12 of her career-high 22 points in the first half, grabbed 12 rebounds, and had four assists. She went 7 of 11 from the floor and 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.
"It's always exciting to see players start to get their confidence and start producing. Aerial has struggled in finding a rhythm but tonight she produced for the team and showed herself what she is capable of." Cross said.
Sheridan Hopkins has been a consistent player for the Celts in the first five game and that did not change for this game with her finishing up with 16 points, six rebounds, six steals, two blocks and three assists. Bresha Orange who joined the team only 3 weeks ago after her volleyball season, has been a solid contributer and had her second double double of her career with 13 points, 10 boards and five steals. McInnis had six assists, Alexya Castillo (FR/Cypress, TX) seven points, and Porter five points, seven rebounds and two steals.
"We have two more exhibition games coming up in the next week. These games are tough but this schedule was designed to prepare us for our very competitive Red River Conference games." Cross said.
The Celts play NCAA Division 1 opponents Sam Houston State and Texas State in the next week. Then they will return to the JAAC on Saturday December 8th at 2pm to play their first Red River Conference game against Huston-Tillotson.
