LONGVIEW, Texas -- Season sweep.
The LeTourneau women's basketball team had a season-best shooting performance and then held on late in the fourth quarter to defeat Howard Payne, 77-69, in ASC action on Thursday night inside Solheim Arena.
LeTourneau (7-15, 3-12 ASC) completed a season sweep of Howard Payne (2-21, 0-16 ASC) with the win.
The host YellowJackets connected on a season-high 46 percent (29-of-63) and went 17-of-22 at the free throw line to secure the win.
AJ Thomas had a game-high 21 points to go with six assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
Kyndall Hardeman added 16 points and seven rebounds,
Bailey Broughton had 14 points and two assists, while
Haylee Jordan totaled eight points with 13 rebounds and three blocks.
LeTourneau only trailed briefly in the first quarter before holding the advantage for over 36 minutes of the contest. A 14-2 run in the opening period gave LeTourneau an 18-10 lead after a
Madelyn DeLosSantos free throw with 2:55 left in the quarter. The YellowJackets led 23-14 entering the second after shooting 50 percent from the floor in the first. Thomas drained a 35-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer in the first to give LeTourneau its nine-point lead.
The YellowJackets were even better from the field in the second shooting 52.9 percent and outscoring Howard Payne 19-16 to take a 42-30 lead into halftime.
Though LeTourneau cooled in the second half, Thomas helped keep the hosts in front as she scored 10 points over the final two quarters.
LeTourneau took its largest lead of the night at 64-45 after a Hardeman jumper to open the fourth. Howard Payne mounted a comeback as the visiting Lady Jackets sliced the margin all the way down to five (66-61) with three minutes remaining.
Two
Kylie Weeks free throws followed by a clutch bucket from Thomas stretched the lead back to nine for LeTourneau with two minutes left. Howard Payne chipped it to five again moments later, but free throws were key down the stretch for LeTourneau to hold on for the win.
LeTourneau held a 44-37 rebounding edge and outscored Howard Payne 46-34 in the paint.
Howard Payne got 20 points from Anna Beamesderfer and 14 points from Asia Mitchell in the loss.
UP NEXT
LeTourneau hosts Sul Ross State on Saturday for Senior Day (1 p.m.). Senior Day ceremony will take place after the game.
