DENTON, Texas (Nov. 22) – TWU senior guard Toree Mason scored a game-high 17 points but it wasn't enough as the Pioneers fell to Central Oklahoma, 54-52, at the 2014 Marriott Champions Circle Pioneer Premiere on Saturday night.  TWU is now 2-2 on the season.
 
Mason shot 6-for-11 from the field including 5-for-6 from the three-point range while TWU sophomore Emily Spector added 13 points.  Senior Ria Pateraki and Spector tied for the Pioneer team lead with five rebounds each.
 
For the third straight game, the Pioneers' defense stepped up in the first half and held UCO to just eight field goals and 28.6 percent shooting.  TWU jumped out to an early 7-2 lead and pushed it to 11-point advantage, 15-4, at 12:04 mark.  The Bronchos made a run to cut their deficit to three points but Mason's three-pointer in the final seconds of the half gave TWU a 28-22 halftime lead.
 
Central Oklahoma started the second half with a 15-2 run to turn the deficit into a seven-point lead, 37-30.  The Pioneers regrouped and scored 10 straight points to regain the lead.  Both teams traded baskets for the next five minutes as the game was tied four times while the lead changed three times.  With TWU leading 51-49 the Bronchos scored five straight points to take a 54-51 lead.  The Pioneers had an opportunity to tie the score but a three-point shot from Spector rimmed out in the final seconds.
 
"We came out really strong in the first half but it was tale of two halves," said TWU head coach Beth Jillson.  "We gave up a big run to start the second and against good teams we can't do that.  We didn't do a good job of attacking and getting to the free throw line.  Toree was a bright spot offensively.  She was on fire and hit some big three-point shots."
 
The Pioneers will return to action when they host Texas Wesleyan on Tuesday, Nov. 25.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Kitty Magee Arena.