DENTON, Texas (Jan. 28, 2023) – Behind their most points this season, the Texas Woman's basketball team defeated the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith on Saturday afternoon, 87-58.
 
TWU (19-1, 14-0) extended their home winning streak to nine straight games in their win over UAFS (6-15, 4-11).
 
In the win, the Pioneers were led by Sadie Moyer. With 16 points on the afternoon, Moyer officially scored 1,000 career points. Her 1,000th point came at the 4:44 mark in the fourth quarter. Moyer hit a jumper in the paint and got the foul call. On the and-one play, Moyer hit the free throw to officially score the 1,000th point of her career.
 
Moyer became just the 11th Pioneer in program history to score 1,000 points. She currently sits in 11th on the Pioneers' All-Time Career Points list.

Throughout the first two minutes of the first quarter, the score went back and forth. After back-to-back threes by Brielle Woods and Scout Huffman, giving the Pioneers' a two-point lead, 10-8, TWU never trailed or tied throughout the remainder of the game.

TWU quickly found their heater on offense in the first quarter, scoring a game-high 26 points in the quarter. The Pioneers also increased the defensive pressure. They held the Lions scoreless for the final 3:30 minutes of the opening quarter to take a 16-point lead into the second quarter.

The dominant offensive attack and defensive lockdown continued for the Pioneers in the second quarter. Every team member contributed on both ends of the court.

Ashley Ingram opened the quarter with a layup, assisted by Woods. Then, Ariyanna Hines connected on her first shot of the night to increase the lead to 18, 30-12.

After two minutes of scoreless action, Jordan Jackson broke the drought with a made layup, and Jada Celsur quickly answered with a steal on defense and a coast-to-coast hustle layup on the other end to give the Pioneers their first 20-point lead of the day, 33-12.

Throughout the course of the game, Celsur built a career performance. She finished the night with a career-high 12 points, a career-high five assists and matched her career-high of three steals.

One of her assists came just 30 seconds after she scored, as she passed it to Moyer, who drained a three pointer.

Jordan Jackson ignited the crowd and found her stroke on offense with a made three at the 2:35 mark off an assist by Leila Patel.

To end the half, Grace Lowery got fouled on a defensive rebound and connected on two made free throws, and Jackson scored a layup with an assist from Lowery to send the Pioneers into the halftime break ahead by 27, 47-20.

The 47 points in the first half marked the highest first half of scoring from the Pioneers this season.

The Pioneers never stopped pushing and continued to shine in the second half. TWU's lowest lead of the second half was 21.
 
TWU crested the 30-point advantage in the third quarter at the 6:20 mark off a free throw by Scout Huffman.

Moyer found her 1,000th point at the 4:44 mark after the made free-throw, and her family raised numbered 1,000 golden balloons and the entire gym cheered joyously as TWU took a timeout to celebrate.

In the fourth quarter, the Pioneers hit their largest lead of the night twice at 33 points.

First, Lowery flexed in the paint and made a jumper to put the Pioneers up by 33, 81-48 with 2:54 on the clock. Then, after giving up a basket and a free throw, Patel hit a three pointer, continuing her sharp-shooting week, and giving the Pioneers the 84-51 advantage at the 2:25 mark.

Celsur had the final word for the Pioneers with a made jumper with 47 seconds remaining in the game to seal the win for TWU, 87-56.

Everyone scored for the Pioneers tonight, mounting a season-high 41 bench points. They also out-rebounded the Lions by 10, owning the glass 43-33. The Pioneers also matched their season-high in assists with 17.

Leading the Pioneers on the boards, Ingram, Huffman, Celsur and Ngozi Obineke all grabbed five rebounds. Aside from Moyer, three other Pioneers finished in double-digits. Ingram and Celsur both finished with 12 and Jackson recorded 11 points.

Following the game, the Pioneers hosted a free kids' clinic, which featured an hour of skills and games with the Pioneer players and coaching staff.

"What a wonderful afternoon in Kitty Magee Arena," TWU Head Coach Beth Jillson said. "Every single player contributed today on the offensive and defensive end of the court. I am so proud of how they continue to play with ultimate passion for the game and for each other. To have 17 assists and 41 bench points, just shows how much our players are committed to bringing their all in every opportunity. Also, thank you to everyone who showed up to participate in our kids' clinic. We are thankful to support the community, and we appreciate you cheering us on to victory."

The Pioneers will go on the road next week to play UT Tyler on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 5 p.m.