Women's Basketball suffers tough loss to East Texas Baptist University

IRVING, Texas -- The University of Dallas women's basketball team (10-8) fell to the Tigers of East Texas Baptist University (ETBU), 58-52, on Monday evening at the Maher Athletic Center. 

Dallas dominated the opening period, shooting 46.4 percent (13-of-28) while holding ETBU to just 13.6 percent (3-of-22) from the field. 

Sophomore guard Kylie Yoshimura (Temple City, Calif./Mark Keppel H.S.) had the hot-hand in the first half, recording 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field, including netting 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Yoshimura finished with a game-high 21 points. Additionally, she amassed five assists. 

Cara Sczepanski (Highland Village, Texas/Marcus H.S.) was the only other Lady Crusader to reach double-figures in scoring. The senior forward totaled 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field on the night, including going 1-of-2 from three-point land and netting 3-of-4 from the charity stripe. 

The Lady Crusaders went into halftime leading the Tigers, 32-11. 

When play resumed, Dallas' fortune turned for the worse. Marred by second half turnovers and cold shooting, the Lady Crusaders saw their one-time 21 point lead dissipate, with ETBU seizing their first advantage of the contest with 2:28 remaining on the scoreboard. 

ETBU forced Dallas into 13 second half turnovers, while limiting their turnovers to five for the final period. The Lady Crusaders shot 30 percent in the second half (6-of-20), as opposed to the Tigers' 56.3 shooting percentage (18-of-32) from the field in the latter period.

Brandace Latin proved to be the x-factor for ETBU, as she led her team to the dramatic comeback victory, scoring all of her team-high 16 points in the second half. 

The Tigers extended their lead at the free throw line down the stretch, as Dallas tried to re-establish control and get back into the game. Time however ran out on the Lady Crusaders, who ended up six points on the wrong side of the score. 

Dallas will look to get back into the win column on Sunday, Jan. 30th, as they square off against the the University of New Orleans at 1:00 p.m. The game will take place at the Maher Athletic Center.