DENTON, Texas (Dec. 31) – TWU junior Erin Maxwell recorded her second straight double-double and sophomore Alexis Nezianya posted a near double-double as the Pioneers closed out the calendar year and opened the LSC scheduled with a 72-62 win over visiting Tarleton State.
 
With the win the Pioneers improved to 11-2 on the season and won their ninth straight game.  TWU is also 3-1 in New Year's Eve games and 2-0 against Tarleton State on the final day of calendar year.
 
Freshman Kara Mitchell led the team with 16 points while Maxwell added 14 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks.  Nezianya finished with nine points, 11 rebounds and three blocks while junior Kenesha Saygo added 11 points.  Senior Danielle Westerfield and sophomore Cienna Rodriguez both came off the bench and scored six points each.
 
The Pioneers led the game from start to finish after opening the game with an 8-0 run.  TWU led 20-12 after the first quarter before the TexAnns chipped away in the second quarter.  Tarleton State used an 8-2 run to cut the deficit to two points before the Pioneers pushed the lead back to seven, 30-23.  The TexAnns outscored TWU, 5-2, in the final three minutes and trailed by four points, 32-28, at the break.
 
TSU scored the first two points in the third quarter before the Pioneers went on an 8-0 run.  TWU maintained at least a seven-point lead the rest of the quarter and led 53-42 after three quarters.
 
The Pioneers maintained a double-digit lead through the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.  Tarleton State cut the deficit to six points twice but TWU responded both times and captured a 10-point win.
 
"The biggest key to this win was that we were able to get the ball inside and score," said TWU head coach Beth Jillson.  "Erin has been phenomenal.  She is a great teammate and we can rely on her night in and night out.  Alexis and Erin were really big on glass and we had 17 offensive rebounds.  I really liked the way we kept our composure when they cut it to six points in the fourth quarter and I liked the experience we showed on what we need to do."
 
The Pioneers outscored TSU, 50-20, in the paint and outrebounded the TexAnns, 51-34.  TWU also blocked 10 shots and finished the game with 49.2 percent shooting.
 
The Pioneers will return to action when the host Midwestern State on Saturday, Jan. 2.  Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Kitty Magee Arena.