Big Spring, Tx-  Coastal Bend Women's basketball played on the road against Howard College, Monday night for a regular season contest. The Cougars found themselves in a familiar place, with a slow start offensively and defensive lapses, down early at end of the first quarter.  

 

Howard College started the game with five points early in the game before Cierra Zapata knocked down a triple. Two steals by Sincere Roberts leading to an Asia Wheeler layup and a Savanna Smith layup gave the Cougars there first lead at 7-5.  The Hawks never looked back in the first going on a 3-23 run of there own leaving the Cougars down 10-28 going into the second.

 

The second quarter saw an exchange of baskets and turnovers for most of the frame,  but the Cougars trimmed the deficit by outscoring the Hawks, 18-16 in the quarter and while still trailing 28-44 at halftime.

 

The third quarter became a repeat of the second quarter, as both teams traded baskets.  Howard ended up outscoring Coastal Bend by four points, 14-18 in the period.  

 

Heading to the fourth Coastal Bend found themselves down 42-62 trailing by 20. The Cougars turned up the heat and clawed and fought with every ounce and hit four threes along with 17 other points contributed by the team to get the score close.  Though Coastal Bend outscored Howard in fourth frame, 29-13 they ultimately ended up losing a close one, 71-75.

 

"We fought until the end, put a lot of bodies because of sickness and health.  We fought hard and we are resilient but until we learn to play a first quarter,  we will find ourselves in the same position over and over."  said Coach Purswell.

 

Leading the Cougars with 17 points was Savanna Smith. Smith also recorded four rebounds and four steals. Next was Sincere Roberts as she produced 13 points, nine rebounds and a game-high seven steals.  Guard, Cierra Zapata netted 11 points and grabbed three rebounds for her stat line. Point Guard, Asia Wheeler scored 10 points as she flirted with a double-double with nine rebounds and dished out five assists.