DENTON, Texas (Nov. 19, 2016) – Texas Woman's University suffered its first loss of the 2016-17 season with a 69-58 setback against Newman in the Best Western Premier Pioneer Classic Saturday.
 
The Pioneers (3-1) had trouble finding a rhythm offensively with a 34-percent showing from the field on 19-of-56 shooting. Meanwhile, Newman (2-2) knocked down 26 of their 54 attempts to fire at a 48-percent clip.  Kenesha Saygo scored a team-high 14 points, Andrea Mapua totaled 13 and Emily Spector had 10 while reigning Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week Alexis Nezianya recorded eight points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Jets found their way to the rim early with two buckets in the paint within the first 55 seconds of the contest. Grace Mitchell answered with a layup, and Mapua knocked down a three to give the Pioneers their first (and last) lead of the game at 5-4. NU garnered a double-digit lead at 21-11 with 30 seconds left in the first quarter, but Saygo connected on a long two at the buzzer to cut the margin to eight.
 
A Nezianya free throw kicked off the scoring in the second quarter, but the Jets pieced together a 14-4 run to jump ahead 33-16 six minutes into the period. KJ Stastny gave TWU some life with a three-point play to cut NU's lead to 35-21, but the Jets again upped the margin to 17 to go into halftime up 41-24.
 
Newman stretched the lead to 48-27 by opening the third quarter with two baskets in the lane and a three-pointer. At the 4:45 mark, Spector hit a three, Nezianya connected on a jumper and Desiree Phipps converted a layup to pull the Pioneers closer at 50-35. The Jets added a score on a jumper, but TWU concluded the quarter with six straight points to cut the lead to 52-43.
 
A layup by Mapua in the fourth continued the scoring barrage by the Pioneers, and Saygo followed up with a three to make it a 52-48 ballgame. The Jets sank a free throw, but Saygo nailed another from deep to pull TWU within a pair with just under seven minutes to play. NU scored six unanswered to pull ahead 59-51 with 5:19 to play and then extended the margin to 67-55 to make a Pioneer comeback unmanageable.
 
The Pioneers wrap up The Best Western Premier Pioneer Classic tomorrow with a contest against UC-Colorado Springs at 4 p.m. inside Kitty Magee Arena.