Aggie Women Wane in SAC Opener

Goodwell, Okla.—In their opening conference contest Thursday evening, the Panhandle State women’s basketball team took a ten-point loss to an undefeated Mid-America Christian team. The Evangels edged out a 70-60 victory over the Aggies to preserve their perfect season record (6-0).

Despite the loss, Head Coach Victor Esparza felt his team put up one of their best performances thus far stating, “We played hard, hung on and never gave up. That’s a good sign and I’m proud of the effort.”

The first half saw eight lead changes with the Aggies holding a one-point advantage at the 3:46 mark in the second period. MACU managed to gain a 35-31 lead going into halftime and the Aggies matched them point-for-point in the third period, but fell short in the fourth.

Esparza added, “We made some mistakes late and let the game get away from us. We’ve got to do a better job of taking care of the ball. We gave up some easy points off turnovers.”

Each team had their share of lost balls, with Panhandle losing 12 points on 13 turnovers; the Aggies capitalized on 12 MACU turnovers to gain a total of 17 points. The Evangels guarded the glass to score 16 second chance points on 13 offensive rebounds, while the Aggies added only two points on six put-backs.

For the game, junior Shambri Kelso led the Aggies in scoring off the bench and tied for a game-high with 15 points, including three treys and 4 of 5 free throw shots. Addison Munsch tallied 13 points, followed by seniors Taylor Acosta and Hannah Faulks who scored 12 points apiece and each offered three assists in the game. Faulks notched a double-double with 12 boards to claim the game-high in rebounds. Monti Regier also held a game-high with four steals on the night.

The Aggies averaged 37.7 percent from the field, only connecting on 20 percent of their three-point attempts; they shot over 80 percent at the line. MACU shot at 39.4 percent for the game and sank 7 of 28 shots beyond the arc and 11 of 15 from the free throw line.

With a 4-3 record on the season, Coach Esparza and his team look ahead to their next Sooner Athletic Conference matchup on Dec. 1. “We will get back to work and focus on another chance to get a win at home.”

The Aggies face the University of Science and Arts Saturday at 2 p.m. in Anchor D Arena. Fans are invited to bring their loose change for the SAAC Penny Wars with proceeds going to Christmas Cheer for Children. Guests may also bring new, un-wrapped toys for the Goodwell Police Department Toy Drive; each donation receives entry to win a singed P-logo basketball, autographed by both Panhandle State basketball teams. An Ugly Sweater Contest will also take place during halftime of the men’s game, with a prize awarded to the winner.