It was a busy week for the ULM Warhawks women’s basketball team.  It started Monday with the team’s final exhibition game in Fant Ewing Coliseum against the Louisiana College Wildcats.

The Warhawks would trail by two after the first half but the offense exploded in the second half scoring 61 points. Better ball control is what powered the ULM offense in the second half enabling them to pull away from the Wildcats.

The Warhawks were led in scoring by Ashleigh Simmons with 24 points and Jasmin Shaw with 22 points and had two more players in double digits. This was the first time since 1997 that the Warhawks had reached the triple digits.

The Warhawks would be back at it Friday night down in Nacogdoches, Texas against the Ladyjacks of Stephen F. Austin.

The Warhawks came out swinging early, feasting off of Ladyjack turnovers and jumped out to a 23 to 13 lead at the 10:13 mark of the first half.  But the Ladyjacks would settle down and climb back into it cutting the Warhawks lead to four points at the half.

The Warhawks in the first half were 11 for 11 on scoring off of Ladyjack turnovers. Warhawks head coach Mona Martin was very happy with the way her team played in the first half.

“We started off very well,” said Martin, ” We were pushing the ball, getting the ball inside and doing things we need to win ballgames.”

The second half was a different story.  The Ladyjacks took the lead 16:16 mark of the second half and never gave it back.

“All of the sudden everything changed we started walking the ball down the court and the entire game changed,” said Martin, “I tried to get them to flip the switch but it was gone.”

After building a double digit lead the Ladyjacks would cruise to an 80 to 55 victory and move to 1-0 on the year while the Warhawks look to improve and get things going in the right direction.

They have some solid things to build on especially in the first half where the Warhawks made over 50 percent of their shots. Martin and her squad will look to build on the positives going forward.

“We did not shoot the ball poorly at all. The free-throw line caused some trouble tonight but when they pressed we scored every time so that is something to build upon.”

The Warhawks will take the court when they host Tulane Monday night in Fant Ewing Coliseum.