ABILENE, Texas — Hardin-Simmons' women's basketball team shot a season-best 53.8 percent and rolled over Sul Ross State 81-53 in American Southwest Conference action at the Mabee Complex on Thursday night.
The game was the Think Purple game to bring awareness to pancreatic cancer. Purple is the color of pancreatic awareness and the game was played in honor of Lois Orsak, the mother of assistant coach Melanie Orsak who lost her battle with cancer in January.
HSU dominated from the opening tip, running out to a 15-2 lead in the first five minutes of the game. HSU never trailed in the game and led by as many as 26 points, before settling for a 46-22 halftime lead.
Alexis Popelar had a big first half with 14 points and Coco Cartwright hit three first-half 3-pointers.
It was more of the same in the second half, as the Cowgirls pushed the lead out to 32 at 75-43. The Cowgirls dominated in the paint outscoring SRSU 48-20 and HSU won the battle of the board 42-23.
Kara Looten led the Cowgirls with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting. Popelar had 17 points and Angela Newcomb had her 17th double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Krista Ford, the ASC's leading scorer, led Sul Ross State with 23 points and 10 rebounds and Candace Pollard scored 14 and Samantha Baker added 12.
Hardin-Simmons is now 12-12 on the year and 10-10 in league play. Sul Ross State fell to 2-22 overall and 1-19 in ASC action. HSU hosts Howard Payne on Saturday in the regular season finale.
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