LEVELLAND, Texas— Depth is crucial.
Anndrea Lloyd and Felicia Jackson proved that as the duo combined for 26 points coming off the bench Friday night, pushing the Lady Texans past Trinidad State Junior College 57-41 at the Texan Dome in the SPC Classic.
Lloyd finished the contest with 15 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 7-of-13 from the floor in 19 minutes of action. Jackson finished with 11 points and an assist, shooting 4-for-5 from the field and 2-of-3 from the 3-point line.
"We had some good looks inside, and we were able to set some screens and get open," Lloyd said. "My teammates helped me out getting me the ball. We just need to keep working in practice and bring that over into the game. We need to come out tomorrow with even more energy than today."
The Lady Texans went on a 9-0 run to begin the contest, sparking a 9-2 run from the Lady Trojans, ending in a 12-11 lead for South Plains after one quarter.
Both teams continued to trade buckets throughout the second quarter, with Trinidad State eventually carrying a two-point, 24-22 lead into the locker-room at halftime.
The Lady Texans answered back.
South Plains would come out of the break on a 16-7 run capped off by a turnaround jumper from the baseline by Yanina Inkina, who finished the contest with 13 points, giving the Lady Texans a 38-29 lead with 2:34 remaining in the third quarter.
"After the second quarter, I had a little more confidence in my shooting," Inkina said. "Coach pushed me forward, because my first half wasn't very good. But, when you make some really good shots, it makes you feel more confident. We just need to concentrate and be patient, and do what our coaches want us to do."
South Plains continued to shoot lights out in the final quarter, and shot 51 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes of action. The Lady Trojans tried to make a late push midway through the fourth, but a 3-pointer from Jackson with just under a minute to play ended any hopes of a comeback, giving the Lady Texans their first win on the season.
"I was extremely proud of our effort tonight," South Plains head coach Cayla Petree said. "Anndrea Lloyd came off the bench and picked up her first double-double in a Lady Texans uniform, and she was huge tonight for us. Our effort was extremely good tonight, and we need to maintain that heading forward."