DENTON, Texas (Nov. 30, 2017) - KJ Stastny scored a career and game-high 25 points in the Lone Star Conference opener for Texas Woman's University, but the Pioneers fell, 74-62, to Angelo State Thursday night inside Kitty Magee Arena.
 
Stastny hit four of her five three-point attempts and added four steals and four rebounds. Alexis Nezianya posted 11 points and seven rebounds, while Grace Mitchell added seven points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Pioneers (3-3, 0-1 LSC) took advantage of a pair of Angelo State technical fouls and player ejection along with a personal foul to sink five straight free throws and pull within 59-56 with 2:26 remaining in the contest. The Belles (3-2, 2-0 LSC) hit a three on the ensuing possession before Whitney Apari countered with a putback for a score of 62-58 in favor of ASU. The Belles finished the contest by converting 11 free throws in the final minute and-a-half to hold on for the win.
 
The Belles scored the first six points of the contest before a pair of free throws by Stastny just over three minutes in. A post move by Stastny and reverse layup by Nezianya tied the game at 6-all. A high-low pass from Cienna Rodriguez to Mitchell handed the Pioneers their first lead of the game at 10-8 at the 3:32 mark.
 
The teams entered quarter two tied 10-10 and again were knotted at 13-all after a three-pointer by Stastny. Nine straight points put ASU up, 22-13, but a three-point play by Bri'anna Gray and free throw by Stastny lessened the deficit to 22-17 with 4:42 to go until the half. The Belles again built a double-digit lead at 29-19 until a 15-foot jumper by Morgan Easley made it 29-21 heading into halftime.
 
An ASU two minutes into the third period gave the Belles a 34-23 advantage, but back-to-back Stastny three pointers from opposite wings fueled a nine-point TWU run to pull the Pioneers to within 36-32 at the five-minute mark. The Belles pulled ahead 42-32 until three TWU free throws cut the margin to 42-35 at the end of the third.
 
The Pioneers host Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday at 2 p.m.