DENTON, Texas (Nov. 9, 2017) - Texas Woman's University basketball opens the 2017-18 season at the F&M Bank Tip-Off Classic hosted by Tarleton State and will face St. Mary's Friday at noon and Western State Saturday at noon.
 
About the Pioneers
TWU was chosen to finish sixth in the 11-team Lone Star Conference preseason poll.  The Pioneers finished last season with an 11-9 mark in league play and 18-11 overall. Senior forward Alexis Nezianya returns as the top TWU scorer and rebounder after averages of 8.5 and 5.4, respectively. Guard Kara Mitchell is back for her junior season after leading the team in assists in 2016-17 with an average of 2.6, and senior forward Grace Mitchell enters the season after putting up averages of 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds last year.
 
Texas Woman's (0-0, 0-0 LSC) vs. St. Mary's (0-0, 0-0 Heartland)
Friday, Nov. 10 at 12 p.m.
Stephenville, Texas (Wisdom Gym)
 
About St. Mary's
The Rattlers were voted to finish fourth in the eight-team Heartland Conference preseason poll and feature junior guard Arysia Porter who was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Last season, StMU finished 21-7 overall and 12-4 in Heartland play and advanced to the second round of the HC Tournament.
 
History between TWU and StMU
The Rattlers lead the all-time series, 10-7, with the first matchup occurring during the 1991-92 season in which St. Mary's defeated the Pioneers, 52-50. TWU has won the most recent pair of meetings, including a 65-61 victory over the then-25^th ranked Rattlers Nov. 21, 2014.
 
Last meeting of the Pioneers and Rattlers
WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Nov. 13, 2015) – The TWU basketball team drained 26 free throws and shot 48.1 percent in the second half to capture a 77-72 win over St. Mary's in the 2015-16 season opener at Ashbrook Classic hosted by Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, TX.
Freshman Kara Mitchell made her collegiate debut with a bang, leading the Pioneers in scoring.  She came off the bench and scored 17 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the floor and 7-for-8 from the free-throw line.  Junior Erin Maxwell recorded a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.  Senior Danielle Westerfield came off the bench and scored 12 points while junior Deja Pointer and sophomore Alexis Nezianya each had nine points.  Freshman Bri'anna Gray also made her collegiate debut with seven points off the bench.
 
Texas Woman's (0-0, 0-0 LSC) vs. Western State (0-0, 0-0 RMAC)
Saturday, Nov. 10 at 12 p.m.
Stephenville, Texas (Wisdom Gym)
 
About Western State
The Mountaineers were picked to finish 12^th in the 16-team Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Last season, Western concluded with a 7-19 overall mark and went 6-16 in the RMAC.
 
History between TWU and Western State
The lone matchup between the two squads occurred during the 2008-09 season where the Pioneers defeated the Mountaineers, 64-45.
 
Last meeting of the Pioneers and Mountaineers
DENTON, Texas (Nov. 15, 2008) – Texas Woman's University senior forward Renee Renz scored 12 points and pulled down a career-high 21 rebounds to lead the Pioneers to a 64-45 season-opening win over the Western State (Colo.) Mountaineers in the second game of the 2008 Pioneer Premiere on Saturday night at Kitty Magee Arena.