Brownwood, Texas - The Angelo State women's basketball team broke their 18-game losing streak with a 72-59 win over St. Edward's, on the campus of Howard Payne in Brownwood on Saturday. Before today, the Ramblles last tasted victory on January 22^nd against St. Mary's, who happen to be the Belles opponents on Monday.
 
In their first win of the season – and the first win for head coach Alesha Ellis – the Belles shot 38.7 percent from the field and never trailed to the now 6-3 Hilltoppers.
 
On the defensive side, the Belles forced 21 Hilltopper turnovers and held the opposition to a 35.2 shooting percentage from the field, including only shooting 2-16 from deep.
 
A hot start for the Belles – which included a Blakely Gerber three and a pair of jumpers by Sawyer Lloyd in the game's opening two minutes – saw them scurry out to a 7-2 lead early. They would hold the lead for the rest of the quarter due to a 43.8 shooting percentage and forcing the Hilltoppers into six turnovers.
 
Despite an early second-quarter run for the Hilltoppers that saw the lead cut to only a single point and a 23-22 score line with 6:41 left in the quarter, the Belles would go on a 17-6 run for the rest of the quarter to enter half with a 40-28 lead.
 
The Belles would hit three threes in the third to extend their lead to 14 by the end of the quarter, and the Hilltoppers could only chip away by a single point in the final frame.
 
Blakely Gerber led all players with 20 points, shooting 6-8 from the field and 6-7 from the free-throw line. The Wayland Baptist transfer also hit a pair of threes in three attempts.  
 
Madeline Stephens recorded her first double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 7-9 from the field; Payton Brown scored 12 points and assisted five times, also recording three steals.
 
Sawyer Lloyd had five points and eight rebounds and Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant contributed nine points, eight rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes.
 
The Belles are now 1-8 on the season and have a pair of home games before the holiday break – hosting St. Mary's on Monday at 11 a.m. and Huston-Tillotson on Tuesday at 5:30p.m.