(Games of Feb. 11-18)
EAST DIVISION
April Leonard, G, Fr., East Texas Baptist
East Texas Baptist freshman guard
April Leonard (
Quitman, La. / Jonesboro-Hodge HS) hit a game-winning running jump shot as time expired – going coast-to-coast – to give the Lady Tigers a 60-58 win over Mississippi College that locked up the East Division’s final spot in the ASC tournament. She finished with 14 points, five rebounds and two steals in road victory. Earlier in the week, Leonard helped spark a 64-60 overtime win over nationally-ranked Louisiana College. She hit the go-ahead 3-pointer after regulation and also hit three free throws during that time. Leonard helped ETBU snap LC’s 45-game home winning streak in the regular season. She has now taken the division’s top weekly award twice this season.
WEST DIVISION
Chasmin Betters, F, Sr., Texas Lutheran
Texas Lutheran senior forward
Chasmin Betters (
Arlington, Texas / Martin HS) had 16 points, seven rebounds, four blocks, two steals and two assists to fuel a 55-39 conference home win over Hardin-Simmons. Betters, who takes the league’s top weekly award for the second time this season, shot 54.5 percent from the field and hit all four free throws. She committed just one turnover. Betters’ defense helped hold the Cowgirls to their lowest scoring output of the season by 10 points.
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES:
Louisiana College F
Natosha Gottlieb averaged 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds over a 2-1 week. . . . Texas-Dallas F
Morgan Kilgore averaged 14.5 points and 5.5 rebounds over a 2-0 week. . . . Texas-Tyler F
Brittany King averaged 16 points and 8.5 rebounds over a 1-1 week. . . . Mississippi College G
Elizabeth Brooks averaged 12 points, 3.7 steals and 2.7 assists over three losses. . . . Concordia Texas G
Brianna Smith averaged 18.5 points and two assists over a 2-0 week. . . .Mary Hardin-Baylor F
Jovanna Miles averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds over a 1-1 week. . . . Howard Payne PG
Tresta Donahoo averaged 17 points, five assists and 2.5 steals over a 1-1 week. . . . Schreiner G
Jasmin Copeland had 14 points and nine rebounds to guide a win over Hardin-Simmons. . . . Sul Ross State G
Asrelle Anderson averaged 19 points and two steals over two losses.
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2012-13 ASC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK REVIEW
EAST DIVISION
(Nov. 15-17) April Leonard, G, Fr., East Texas Baptist
(Nov. 19-25) Natosha Gottlieb, G/F, Sr., Louisiana College
(Nov. 26-Dec. 1) Natosha Gottlieb, G/F, Sr., Louisiana College
(Dec. 3-9) Jordyn Ferrell, G, Sr., Ozarks
(Dec. 10-15) Mary Slaughter, F, Sr., East Texas Baptist
(Dec. 17-21) Amanda Rucker, F, So., East Texas Baptist
(Dec. 28–Jan 1) (co) Andrea Ashley, F, Jr., LeTourneau
(co) Morgan Kilgore, F, Jr., Texas-Dallas
(Jan. 3-5) Ebony Williams, F, Sr., Mississippi College
(Jan. 8-12) Skylar Chenevert, F, So., Louisiana College
(Jan. 14-19) Brittany King, F, So., Texas-Tyler
(Jan. 22-26) Natosha Gottlieb, G/F, Sr., Louisiana College
(Jan. 29-Feb. 2) Shaina Howard, PG, Sr., Louisiana College
(Feb. 5-9) Natosha Gottlieb, G/F, Sr., Louisiana College
(Feb. 11-18) April Leonard, G, Fr., East Texas Baptist
WEST DIVISION
(Nov. 15-17) Tresta Donahoo, PG, Jr., Howard Payne
(Nov. 19-25) Alexis Popelar, G, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
(Nov. 26-Dec. 1) Tresta Donahoo, PG, Jr., Howard Payne
(Dec. 3-9) Alexis Popelar, G, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
(Dec. 10-15) (co) Chasmin Betters, F, Sr., Texas Lutheran
(co) Kayla Scott, G, Sr., Howard Payne
(Dec. 17-21) Alexis Popelar, G, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
(Dec. 28–Jan 1) Tresta Donahoo, PG, Jr., Howard Payne
(Jan. 3-5) (co) Tresta Donahoo, PG, Jr., Howard Payne
(co) Paige Parrish, G/F, Sr., Concordia Texas
(Jan. 8-12) Madi Hess, G, So., Concordia Texas
(Jan. 14-19) Joanna Daniel, G, So., Hardin-Simmons
(Jan. 22-26) Brianna Smith, G, Sr., Concordia Texas
(Jan. 29-Feb. 2) Taylor Tucker, F, So., Mary Hardin-Baylor
(Feb. 5-9) (co) Jovanna Miles, C, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
(co) Alexis Popelar, G, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
(Feb. 11-18) Chasmin Betters, F, Sr., Texas Lutheran
TEAM NOTES
(Submitted by conference Sports Information Directors)
HOWARD PAYNE: The Lady Jackets had their seven game win streak snapped by Concordia in the last reguler season game of the year. Tresta Donahoo scored a career high 27 points in a road win over Mary Hardin-Baylor. She was also 8 of 11 from the free-throw line for the week.
Concordia (17-8, ASC 14-5), which will be making back-to-back appearances in the American Southwest Conference Tournament for the first time in program history, ended the regular season on a five-game winning streak by posting convincing victories over Sul Ross State and Howard Payne by an average margin of 36.5 points ... The Tornados defeated Sul Ross State, 102-48, before dealing ASC West Division leader Howard Payne its most lopsided loss of the season in an 88-69 decision ... Brianna Smith led the way for the Tornados by averaging 18.5 points on 13-for-22 shooting from the floor, including 8-for-12 from long range, and 3-for-3 from the free throw line ... DJ Vallier averaged a double-double (14.0 ppg, 11 rpg) over the two wins.
TEXAS-TYLER: UT Tyler will head to the ASC Championship for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
EAST TEXAS BAPTIST: The 16 wins for ETBU is the most since the 2005-06 season when they won 22...the upset win over #18 Louisiana College is ETBU's first win over a top 25 team since 2005-06 when ETBU defeated #20/#22 Hardin-Simmons in the ASC Tournament...ETBU held ASC's top scoring team (LC) to their lowest out put of points and shooting averages on the year...the 21 FTs made and 84% FT shooting vs. LC was the most in a game made this year for ETBU...10 blocks vs. LC was the most this season for ETBU in a game...first time ETBU has made the ASC Tournament sinc 2009-10...ETBU was picked to finish in last in ASC East and finished in 4th place.
MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR: The Cru women won six of their final nine games to claim an ASC Tournament berth. UMHB returns to the ASC Tournament after a one-year break. Taylor Tucker averaged 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds over the two games last week for the Cru.
TEXAS LUTHERAN: Texas Lutheran ended its 2012-13 season and its women's basketball play in the American Southwest Conference with a 55-39 home win Thursday over Hardin-Simmons. At TLU's Memorial Gymnasium, TLU held HSU to 18.6 percent shooting for the game and out-scored the Cowgirls 39-23 in the second half. The victory was TLU's second win over HSU in conference play since joining the American Southwest Conference for the 2000-01 season. TLU is leaving the ASC for the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and will begin SCAC play in all sports in 2013-14. In their final collegiate contests, TLU senior posts Chasmin Betters (Arlington/Martin) and Katy Scott (La Grange/La Grange) each scored 16. Scott grabbed eight rebounds, and Betters produced seven rebounds, four blocks, two steals and two assists. Italy Taylor (Pflugerville/Hendrickson) contributed 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Each team shot 17.2 percent in the first half. The cold spell continued for the Cowgirls in the second half. HSU was 6-for-30 in the second half after going 5-29 in the first. TLU's shooting percentage improved to 60.9 percent in the second half. The Bulldogs were 14-for-23 from the field over the final 20 minutes. The Bulldogs collected 11 blocked shots against the Cowgirls. In addition to the four block shots by Betters, sophomore post Chelsey Stolle (Falls City/Falls City) also had four blocks. TLU finished the year at 8-17 overall and at 6-13 in the ASC West Division. HSU dropped to 13-11 overall and to 11-7 in the ASC West.
TEXAS-DALLAS: The Comets (17-8, 13-6 ASC) bounced back from a late-season six-game losing skid to win their final four games of the regular season and second the No. 2 seed from the East Division this weekend's ASC Tournament...UTD picked up a pair of 20-point home wins to close out the regular season, downing Ozarks, 64-44, Monday night and LeTourneau, 63-41, Saturday afternoon...The Comets will be making their seventh straight trip to the ASC Tournament and will be looking for a first-round win for the third consecutive season.
HARDIN-SIMMONS: Hardin-Simmons’ women’s basketball team has qualified for the ASC Tournament for the 15th straight season. The Cowgirls are the only team in the ASC to play in all 15 ASC Tournaments. Senior Alexis Popelar has carried much of the load offensively for the Cowgirls. She leads the ASC In scoring at 18.4 points per game and has scored in double figures in 24 of the 25 games this season. HSU has four seniors and they all play on the perimeter in Coco Cartwright, Taylor Rose, Shaquana Wall and Popelar. The seven healthy players that play in the post for the Cowgirls are all sophomores or freshmen.
LOUISIANA COLLEGE: The Lady Cats went 2-1 on the week, falling to ETBU at home 64-60, and defeating UT-Tyler at home 84-66 as well as Mississippi College on the road 89-53 … The loss to ETBU was LC”s first regular season home loss since January of 2009 and snapped the Lady Wildcat’s 45 game regular season home winning sreak … LC ends the regular season leading the ASC in scoring, scoring margin, 3-point FG% defense, assists, steals, turnover margin, assist-turnover ratio, offensive rebounding, and 3-pointers made … With their win against Mississippi College on Monday, Natosha Gottlieb’s career wins total is now 95, which is a new school record for Louisiana College. Legendary Lady Wildcats player and coach Janice Joseph-Richard was the previous record holder with 92 career wins … LC finishes the season with a 21-3 overall record and a 17-2 overall record in ASC play … The Lady Wildcats will face Mary Hardin-Baylor in the first round of the ASC Tournament beginning at noon on Friday.
SCHREINER: The Mountaineers (9-16, 5-14 ASC) concluded their season with a home victory against Hardin-Simmons, 71-56.
MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE: Nine seniors wrapped up their MC careers with three home games against Texas-Tyler, East Texas Baptist and Louisiana College. In the losses to the Patriots and Lady Tigers, MC lost by a combined six points, including a buzzer-beater loss to ETBU. The Lady Choctaws closed out the 2012-13 season with five straight losses and will miss the ASC Tournament for the first time since the 2001-02 season.
SUL ROSS STATE: The Lady Lobos finish the 2012-13 season at 1-24, 0-19 ASC after losing to Concordia 48-102 and to UMHB 63-99.
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