DENTON, Texas (Jan. 14) – TWU junior Erin Maxwell broke the single-season blocks record and scored a career-high 24 points to help the Pioneers to an 81-74 win over visiting Texas A&M-Commerce Thursday night.  With the victory TWU improved to 14-3 on the season and 4-1 in the conference.
 
Maxwell recorded three blocks in the game to set a new single-season school record with 59.  She broke the record (56) set by Peggy Allen McCoy during the 1990-91 season.
 
Maxwell led all players with 24 points after shooting 12-for-18 from the floor.  She also recorded a game-high nine rebounds and four assists.  Juniors Kenesha Saygo and Emily Spector both added 11 points each while sophomore Morgan Easley and freshman Kara Mitchell chipped nine points each.  Sophomore Alexis Nezianya also had nine rebounds and six points.
 
Both teams traded points early in the first quarter before the Pioneers built a 22-14 lead.  Texas A&M-Commerce knocked down a pair of jumpers in the final minute to cut the deficit to four points, 24-20, after the first quarter.
 
TWU started the second quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 31-22 lead but the Lions again responded with a run of their own.  A&M-Commerce outscored the Pioneers, 19-8, in the final eight minutes of the quarter and took a 41-39 lead at the break.
 
TWU regrouped and used a 22-7 run early in the third quarter to take a 13-point lead.  The Lions chipped away to cut the deficit to five points, 63-58, after three quarters.
 
A&M-Commerce made it a one-point game halfway through the fourth quarter but the Pioneers went on a 7-0 run to take a 70-62 lead.  The Lions got to the free-throw line six consecutive times in a span of 1:00 minute to make it 76-74.  The Pioneers responded with five free throws of their own and grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds on missed free throws to seal the win.
 
"We really executed well on both ends," said TWU head coach Beth Jillson.  "We shot the ball well offensively and scored 48 points in the paint.  Our game plan was to push on transition and if we didn't have anything we wanted to get the ball inside.  We came out great in the third quarter after giving up the lead right before the half."
 
The Pioneers will return to action when they travel to Stephenville, TX, to face Tarleton State on Sunday, Jan. 17.  Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Wisdom Gym.