TexAnns lead wire-to-wire in quality win over St. Mary’s

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Kennedale product McKinley Bostad, a guard who played at Arkanas and Texas State before transferring to Tarleton, was one of two TexAnns to score in double figures Saturday. || Photo courtesy NATE BURAL/Tarleton Athletics

By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com

STEPHENVILLE (November 11, 2017) — Tarleton State (2-0) finished off its F&M Bank Tipoff Classic with a second win in as many days at Wisdom Gym Saturday, holding on for a 59-56 win over St. Mary’s.

The TexAnns led wire-to-wire and held off a late charge by the Lady Rattlers (1-1), who they led by as many as 11 in the first half.

Mackenzie Hailey doubled up with 10 points and 13 rebounds to lead the TexAnns,  who won deist shooting only 34.5 percent in a game featuring 40 combined turnovers.

WHY THEY WON:
Tarleton outscored St. Mary’s 13-7 at the stripe, 20-12 off 40 combined turnovers and 15-4 off bench in sloppy affair.  Balance helped as five TexAnns score 8 or 10.

IN THE CLUTCH:
Sierra Dixon scored five straight to pull St. Mary’s within 56-53 and followed two Tarleton free throws by McKinley Bostad with a 3 by Soteria Banks that left the TexAnns clinging to a 58-56 lead before Hailey split a pair of free throws with four seconds left and Arysia Porter’s 3-point try for the tie missed the mark.

EARLY ADVANTAGE:
Taleton jumped ahead 18-7 thanks largely to a pair of 3-pointers by McKinley Bostad and one by Kylie Collins. It was 22-11 in the second before Banks scored five quick points to ignite a 10-0 run as St. Mary’s stayed close.

LEADING ST. MARY’S:
Porter poured in 17 points and 6 rebounds, Banks scored 14 and Dixon 10. Hannah Wilson had eight boards while Porter and Banks collected six each.

SLOPPY, SLOPPY, SLOPPY!
St. Mary’s had 22 turnovers and Tarleton 18. Each team had the ball stolen way seven times.

QUALITY WIN:
The 71-50 rout of Western State to open the season Friday doesn’t do much in terms of strength of schedule for Tarleton, but this win should, even with St. Mary’s off to an 0-2 start. They lost a close one to Texas Woman’s Friday, but beat Division I UTEP in an exhibition and went 21-7 last season.

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