FORT WORTH – Texas Wesleyan Women's Basketball (6-9, 4-3 SAC) dug too deep of a hole in the third quarter but rallied valiantly in a 66-61 loss to Southwest Assemblies of God (9-6, 3-4 SAC) Tuesday night at the Sid Richardson Center.
 
Evie Whorley turned in a season high 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting. She was more alone than usual in finding success from the floor – her three 3s and 6-for-6 from the line led the team, as the rest of the Lady Rams had a difficult night from the floor (3-for-16 from downtown and 5-of-10 from the line).
 
Down 28-17 at halftime, the Lady Rams fell into an 18-point deficit – 46-28 – with 1:08 to go in the third frame. That's when TXWES dug deep and the comeback began.
 
ENDING THE THIRD
Six consecutive points was how Texas Wesleyan found new life. As time expired in the third, Lorian Benjamin raced down the floor to get a floater up, only to have the shot fall way short – but into the hands of teammate Karah Sicurella, who tossed the ball back up and in before red lights graced the backboard. That helped trim the deficit to 12, 46-34, heading into the final 10 minutes of action.
 
WHORLEY GETS GOING
No. 15 scored seven-straight points for the Lady Rams – four of her six free throws and a three-pointer – helping close the gap to eight: 49-41 with 7:03 to play. She contributed all of that in 1:44.
 
IRRITATING DEFENSE
SAGU's Lexi Rich scored nine points in the first quarter, then Texas Wesleyan put Lorian Benjamin on her, leaving an agitated Rich to score a goose egg in the second frame. While Rich managed seven points in the third and 23 points overall, Rich was called for a technical foul with 6:21 remaining after Kyla Grant cut the deficit to six. Grant hit 1-of-2 free throws drawing one point closer.
 
SHOTS FALLING
Down 55-46, the Lady Rams finally found some three-point magic, hoisting up successful treys from Whorley and Lexi Burns to get as close as three points down – 55-52, then a minute later, 57-54. That would be as close as Texas Wesleyan could get. Rich scored seven of her team's last nine points.
 
The Lady Rams scored 27 points in the fourth quarter. Grant finished with 16 points and seven rebounds (7-of-14 shooting). Burns and Sicurella pitched in eight points while Burns and Benjamin each had four steals.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
TXWES will host Central Christian Thursday night at 6 pm trying to stop a two-game slide. The Tigers are 1-5 in conference and 1-6 away from the friendly confines of their home gym. The Tigers were smoked 91-72 last season at the Sid. Sicurella scored 22 in that matchup.