FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville women's basketball team concluded its 2010-2011 season Thursday night with a 78-61 defeat at Arkansas.

The Cougars finished the season with an 11-19 record. Arkansas improved to 19- 11 with the victory.

SIUE got out to a quick start and built a 10-4 lead on a Michaela Herrod jumper with 15:22 left in the first half.

"At that point, I felt like we had a chance to step on the gas," SIUE Head Coach Amanda Levens said. "We had a chance to pull away a little bit."

Arkansas scored the next nine points to take a 13-10 lead on a Julie Inman three-pointer with 10:35 left before half. The teams then traded three- pointers, with Melia Duncan making a pair for SIUE, to even the score at 16.

Arkansas' Sarah Watkins hit a jumper with 9:02 left in the period to start another nine-point run and the home team never trailed again in the game.

Arkansas led 41-25 at the half.

SIUE was never able to close the gap in the second half. Levens said the Cougars needed to get stops.

"We needed to play good half-court defense," Levens said. "It had to come from defense because we felt like we could score enough points."

Arkansas stretched its lead to as many as 22 points late in the half. The Razorbacks shot 57.1 percent (16-28) from the floor in the second half and 55 percent (33-60) for the game.

SIUE hit 24 of 65 attempts (36.9 percent) from the field.

"Some of the shots we normally make, we couldn't get them to fall," Levens said. "Give Arkansas credit they're an athletic team. They were able to hit the shots we didn't."

Herrod led the way for SIUE with 13 points and nine rebounds. Duncan scored 12. Sydney Stahlberg, playing her final game as a Cougar, added 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Levens believed that the season was a successful one.

"We got better all year long," she said.

"I'm really proud to coach this group of young women," Levens continued. "They represent SIUE on and off the court in a first-class manner."

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