LAWTON, Okla. – Shelby Adamson and Kelsey Benford combined for 40 points Saturday to lead Tarleton State to a 59-50 women’s basketball victory over Cameron University in the Aggie Gym.

Adamson scored a game-high 22 points and Benford added 18 to spark the TexAnns to their fourth straight win in the Lone Star Conference crossover opener for both teams.

Cameron, which twice pulled even with the Stephenville club in the second half, falls to 1-4.

Adamson, a 5-6 junior, did much of her damage from the free-throw line, drilling 14 consecutive attempts. She also handed out six of the TexAnns’ 11 assists while playing all 40 minutes.

Benford, a 6-0 senior, hit nine of 15 attempts from close range and pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.

Junior forward Morgan Stehling added 15 points, netting 12 during Tarleton’s take-charge second half.

Cameron had a balanced attack. Junior college transfer Sabelle Diata paced the Ags with 15 points and seven rebounds while sophomore Alexis Williams and Lawton freshman Lacy Reinke had 10 points each.

CU Coach Tom Webb pointed to the damage inflicted by Adamson.

“That’s what hurt us,” she said. “She just kinda does whatever she wants on the perimeter and drives a little bit.

“They’re a good basketball team. I know they’re getting votes nationally.

“At the end of the day, I am very pleased with our group. They are understanding how to defend a little bit – that’s the first team we’ve held under 60. Offensively, we’re going to get better. Sabelle played a lot better tonight. There are very good signs.”

Webb used 11 players, with three playing more than 30 minutes and two more exceeding 20. The pressure forced 11 Tarleton turnovers in the first half, but the TexAnns had just five in the second.

The clubs battled through four ties and three lead exchanges in the first half. An 8-0 run that featured three-pointers by Williams and Josie Stewart gave Cameron a 13-6 lead, but the TexAnns began to pound the ball inside and went on a 17-4 run to establish 27-21 control.Benford had four of the team’s six baskets.

The Ags answered with a pair of last-minute buckets by Diata to cut the deficit to 27-25 at intermission.

There were second-half ties at 31 and 33 before Tarleton took control with a 13-2 run. Cameron cut the gap to four on seven straight points by Diata. A pair of treys by Stehling returned the TSU edge to double figures.

Webb likes the direction his youngsters are heading.

“If we can just continue to get better defensively and just be tougher … I thought we made tough plays, which is a good sign,” he said.

The Aggies are on the road this week for a pair of LSC crossover games. They visit West Texas in Canyon Thursday and Eastern New Mexico in Portales Saturday.

Next home game will be Dec. 8 against Bacone.

“We have another week to get better,” Webb said. “The positives are, right now the record doesn’t mean anything and we can face them again in Bartlesville. We just have to keep getting better.

“We do have a young team. Two freshmen are playing a lot and a juco is brand new.

“As a whole, I really can’t be down. Yeah, there’s no doubt you want a ‘W’ at the end of the day but the effort was there.”