BB 1.12
Emily Brannon

Basketball Becca Walters (bwalters2@twu.edu)

Pioneers at TexAnns preview

DENTON, Texas (Jan. 11, 2016) – Texas Woman's University basketball travels to face Lone Star Conference member Tarleton State Thursday at 5:30 p.m. inside Wisdom Gym.
 
TEXAS WOMAN'S (10-4, 3-3 Lone Star) at TARLETON STATE (5-8, 4-3 Lone Star)
Thursday, Jan. 12 at 5:30 p.m.
Stephenville, Texas (Wisdom Gym)
 
About the Pioneers
TWU has its five-game win streak halted by LSC co-leader Eastern New Mexico Saturday in a 60-49 setback. Kenesha Saygo, who recently eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in her TWU career, ranks third in the LSC in scoring (16.7) and free throw attempts (66), fourth in field goal percentage (.434) and fifth in free throws made (47). Alexis Nezianya is eighth in the league with 12 blocks.
 
About the TexAnns
TSU has compiled a 4-3 mark in Lone Star play and is 5-8 overall. Mackenzie Hailey leads the TexAnns with an average of 15.5 points per game (fifth highest in the conference) along with a league-leading 9.0 rebounds and has racked up eight double-doubles, tops in the LSC.
 
History amongst Texas Woman's and Tarleton State
The TexAnns hold a 26-16 advantage over the Pioneers dating to the 1974-75 season. TWU has gotten the best of TSU as of late by taking the last three matchups.
 
Last meeting between TWU and TSU
STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Jan. 17, 2016) – TWU freshman Kara Mitchell scored a career-high 18 points and the Pioneers used an 8-0 run in the final two minutes to capture a 61-58 win at Tarleton State Sunday afternoon. With the win the Pioneers improved to 15-3 on the season and 5-1 in the Lone Star Conference.
 
Mitchell led all players with 18 points on 4-for-9 shooting from the floor and 10-for-18 from the free-throw line. Junior Kenesha Saygo added 14 points and seven rebounds while junior Erin Maxwell finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Alexis Nezianya led the game with 10 rebounds and junior Deja Pointer came off the bench and scored seven points.
 
Five-game win streak halted by league co-leader ENMU
DENTON, Texas (Jan. 7, 2016) – An early 7-0 lead for Texas Woman's University transitioned into an overall sluggish offensive output by the Pioneers in a 60-49 loss to Lone Star Conference co-leader Eastern New Mexico Saturday afternoon inside Kitty Magee Arena to snap a five-game win streak.
 
The Pioneers (10-4, 3-3 LSC) connected on 16-of-56 from the field (29%), including 1-of-9 (11%) from three-point range, and shot 16-of-28 (57%) from the free-throw line. Kenesha Saygo was the lone Pioneer in double figures with 10. Emily Spector totaled eight while Alexis Nezianya chipped in 10. The 49 total points produced is the lowest offensive production in nearly a year dating to when the Pioneers recorded 41 in a loss to West Texas A&M Jan. 9, 2016.
 
TWU held the Greyhounds (10-3, 6-0 LSC) scoreless for the first six and-a-half minutes on 0-of-10 shooting to build a 7-0 lead. ENMU awoke with a force offensively by rattling off 26 straight points before Spector record a bucket in the paint halfway through the second quarter to end a 13-minute Pioneer scoring drought. A three by ENMU put the Greyhounds up 29-9 at the 3:33 mark, but Deja Pointer knocked down a pair of free throws and Kenesha Saygo came through with two jumpers and a shot from the line to close the first half on a 7-0 run to pull the Pioneers to within 29-16.
 
The Greyhounds scored on the opening play of the second half to up the lead to 31-16, but Grace Mitchell countered with a basket underneath on the next trip down the floor. Morgan Easley hit a jumper in the lane that sparked a 10-0 TWU run to pull the Pioneers to within 35-30 with four minutes to play in the third. ENMU then scored four straight to end the period claiming a 43-33 lead.
 
Two free throws by K.J. Stastny and a jumper by Pointer sliced the margin to 43-37 30 seconds into the final quarter. The Greyhounds made a layup to jump ahead 47-38 at the 8:10 mark before Cienna Rodriguez nailed a three from the left side. Two free throws by Easley kept the Pioneers to within 49-43 before two scores in the paint by ENMU pushed the lead into double digits at 53-43 with 4:46 left to play. Alexis Nezianya posted two free throws with four and-a-half minutes to go and then a jumper to keep the Pioneers in contention at 47-56, but the Greyhounds were able to hold on for the victory.
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Erin Maxwell

#50 Erin Maxwell

C
6' 3"
Junior
Morgan Easley

#14 Morgan Easley

G
5' 11"
Junior
Kara Mitchell

#5 Kara Mitchell

G
5' 8"
Sophomore
Alexis Nezianya

#51 Alexis Nezianya

F
5' 11"
Junior
Deja Pointer

#24 Deja Pointer

G
5' 7"
Senior
Cienna Rodriguez

#2 Cienna Rodriguez

G
5' 4"
Junior
Kenesha Saygo

#0 Kenesha Saygo

G
5' 7"
Senior
Emily Spector

#11 Emily Spector

F
5' 10"
Senior
Grace Mitchell

#23 Grace Mitchell

F
6' 0"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Erin Maxwell

#50 Erin Maxwell

6' 3"
Junior
C
Morgan Easley

#14 Morgan Easley

5' 11"
Junior
G
Kara Mitchell

#5 Kara Mitchell

5' 8"
Sophomore
G
Alexis Nezianya

#51 Alexis Nezianya

5' 11"
Junior
F
Deja Pointer

#24 Deja Pointer

5' 7"
Senior
G
Cienna Rodriguez

#2 Cienna Rodriguez

5' 4"
Junior
G
Kenesha Saygo

#0 Kenesha Saygo

5' 7"
Senior
G
Emily Spector

#11 Emily Spector

5' 10"
Senior
F
Grace Mitchell

#23 Grace Mitchell

6' 0"
Junior
F