DENTON, Texas (Nov. 19, 2016) – Texas Woman's University basketball concludes the 2016 Best Western Premiere Pioneer Classic Sunday at 4 p.m. versus UC-Colorado Springs.
 
TEXAS WOMAN'S (3-1, 0-0 Lone Star) vs. UC-COLORADO SPRINGS (3-0, 0-0 RMAC)
Sunday, Nov. 20 at 4 p.m.
Denton, Texas (Kitty Magee Arena)
 
About the Pioneers
TWU suffered its first loss of 2016-17 with a 69-58 setback to Heartland Conference member Newman Saturday after opening the year at 3-0 with wins over Texas A&M International, Adams State and Arkansas-Fort Smith.
 
About the Mountain Lions
UCCS has yet to be defeated this season with victories over Newman, Oklahoma Christian and a 61-55 win over Midwestern State Saturday in game one of the Best Western Premiere Pioneer Classic.
 
History between Texas Woman's and UC-Colorado Springs
The lone meeting between the teams occurred during the 2010-11 season with TWU taking a 70-46 victory.
 
Last meeting of TWU and UCCS
DENTON, Texas (Nov. 19, 2010) – The TWU basketball team made its regular season home debut with a 24-point victory over UC-Colorado Springs, 70-46, at the 2010 Marriott Champions Circle Pioneer Premiere.
 
Senior Kayla Weaver led all players with 20 points while senior Brooke Shepherd added 12 points. Senior Tia Dixon, junior Jessica Hanna and freshman Tabbatha Thurmond each added seven points.
 
Pioneers endure first loss of season
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.
 
Nezianya grabs Defensive POTW award
RICHARDSON, Texas (Nov. 16, 2016) – Alexis Nezianya of Texas Woman's University claimed the first Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week accolade for the 2016-17 season as announced by the league office Wednesday.
 
Nezianya anchored the inside for the Pioneers during a 3-0 opening week. While playing an average of 17 minutes, the junior forward averaged 10.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and one block in victories against Texas A&M International, Adams State and Arkansas-Fort Smith. The Carrollton native posted career-highs of 20 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the win against ASU on Saturday.
 
Nezianya was an LSC All-Defensive Team selection last season, and this award marks the second of her career.