PORTALES, N.M. (Feb. 19) – TWU sophomore guard Andrea Mapua came off the bench and scored a career-high 14 points, including the go ahead lay-up with four seconds left, to help the Pioneers to a 64-62 win over the host Eastern New Mexico.
 
With the win, TWU improved to 14-11 on the season and 7-7 in the Lone Star Conference.
 
Mapua shot 5-for-7 from the floor and 4-for-6 from the three-point range to lead the Pioneers in scoring.  She was also the team leader in rebounds with five.  Sophomore Erin Maxwell also came off the TWU bench and scored 12 points, including eight of the Pioneers' first 12 points of the game.  Junior Danielle Westerfield added 11 points for TWU while the Pioneers' sophomore guard Kenesha Saygo handed out a game-high seven assists.
 
The Pioneers came out cold and missed their first five field goals as they fell behind 10-1 early in the first half.  TWU regrouped and forced seven turnovers in a span of six minutes while going on an 11-0 run to take a 12-10 lead.  After both teams traded baskets, the Zias used a 14-4 run to go on top 28-18 at 3:28 mark.  Trailing by 10 points with under a minute to go in the half, Mapua made TWU's first three pointer of the game to make it 32-25 score at the break.
 
ENMU started the second half with two quick field goals to push the lead back to double-digits but the Pioneers responded with a 16-2 run to take a 41-38 lead.  The Zias answered to TWU's run with 11 straight points to go back on top, 49-41.  The Pioneers again went on a 10-0 run highlighted by two three pointers by Mapua to regain the lead. 
 
After both teams traded baskets, the game was tied at 58-58 before TWU pulled ahead by four points on a jumper by Westerfield and two free throws by senior Ashley Salazar with 35 second remaining on the clock.  The Zias again tied the game with four straight points in a span of 10 seconds before Mapua's lay-up in the final seconds.
 
Led by Mapua and Maxwell, the Pioneers' bench scored 33 of TWU's 64 points.  The Pioneers outscored ENMU, 32-24, in the paint and forced the Zias into 23 turnovers.
 
"We had lot of different people step up tonight and it was a great team win," said TWU head coach Beth Jillson.  "Mapua never got tired and played the entire second half.  She also did a great job transitioning back on defense and talking to her team.  Erin and Dani were great inside, getting the ball against the zone and then looking to score.  Dani was aggressive down the stretch and made a clutch shot in the final minute to put us ahead.  It was a great team effort."
 
The Pioneers will return to action when they host #4 West Texas A&M in their final home game of the season on Sunday, Feb. 22.  The game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Kitty Magee Arena.