DENTON, Texas (Nov. 15, 2016) – Texas Woman's University opened up their home slate with a 75-65 win over in-region opponent Arkansas-Fort Smith Tuesday night inside Kitty Magee Arena, paced by a game-high 25 points from Kenesha Saygo.
 
The Pioneers (3-0) were outrebounded 41-to-27, but picked up the slack at the free throw line by knocking down 25 of their 30 attempts. Grace Mitchell registered 10 points while Bri'anna Gray posted seven points and seven rebounds.
 
Jazmine Spears of UAFS recorded the first points of the night on two buckets, but Mitchell met her on the next trip down the floor and denied her shot twice to set the defensive tone for the Pioneers. Saygo notched the first points for TWU at the 6:36 mark on a three, but seven straight points by the Lady Lions (2-1) put the Pioneers at an 11-4 deficit. A basket in the paint by Alexis Nezianya and a three from Emily Spector then narrowed the margin to 11-9.
 
Desiree Phipps knocked down two free throws at the start of the second quarter and Emily Spector drilled a three from the top of the key for the first Pioneer lead on the evening. Saygo scored a turnaround in the lane to begin a 7-0 TWU run that was capped by a spin move and left-handed finish in the lane by KJ Stastny for a 28-18 Pioneer advantage. A baseline drive by Phipps at the buzzer kept the 10-point lead safe for TWU heading into halftime up 36-26.
 
The Lady Lions cut into the lead with a field goal and a free throw within the first minute of the third quarter, but Mitchell responded with a 15-foot jumper and a pair from the line, and Gray chipped in two more to increase the Pioneer advantage to 42-29. A UAFS three-pointer and two free throws within the final minute of the quarter cut the margin to 53-42, but Mapua flung in a three from the baseline with three seconds left to up the lead to 56-42.
 
Mapua scored another three from the same spot seven seconds into fourth quarter, and Cienna Rodriguez tossed in another trey from the left baseline to give the Pioneers their largest lead of the night, 64-44. UAFS pulled to within 14 with just over three minutes left to play, but Saygo delivered the five final Pioneer points for the victory.
 
The Pioneers continue their homestay this weekend by hosting the Best Western Premier Pioneer Classic. TWU takes on Newman Saturday at 4 p.m. and UC-Colorado Springs Sunday at 4 p.m.