DENTON, Texas (Dec. 20) – The TWU basketball team extended its win streak to three games with an 83-71 victory over visiting Wayland Baptist on Saturday afternoon at Kitty Magee Arena.  With the win, the Pioneers improved to 7-4 on the season before they take a break for the holidays.
 
Five TWU players scored eight or more points led by senior Ashley Salazar and sophomore Kenesha Saygo with 15 each.  Sophomore Emily Spector added 10 points while sophomore Taylor Nolan scored nine and junior Danielle Westerfield chipped in eight.  Freshman Morgan Easley also added seven points.
 
The Pioneers shot an identical 41.9 percent in each half and made 26-of-33 free throws.  TWU forced 16 turnovers and scored 19 points off of them and had 18 second-chance points.  The Pioneers' bench also outscored WBU's bench, 41-2.
 
With the scored tied at 29 at the 6:01 mark in the first half, TWU used a 12-4 run to take a 41-33 lead at the break.  The Pioneers extended the lead to as many as 13 points in the second half but Wayland Baptist used a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to three at 7:55 mark.  Leading by four points with 2:21 to play, Saygo took charge and scored the game's final eight points to seal the win for TWU.
 
"We have deep team and several players came off the bench to give us a spark," said TWU head coach Beth Jillson.  "Nolan, Saygo and Morgan all played well when they came into the game.  Saygo wants the ball in her hands down the stretch and she made some big shots in the final minutes today.  The scary thing about this team is that we have not peaked yet.  Once everyone starts having good nights then we will be very good."
 
The game against the Flying Queens was the Pioneers' final non-conference game of the season..  TWU will return to action on Thursday, Jan. 1, to open its Lone Star Conference schedule against Midwestern State.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Kitty Magee Arena.