DENTON, Texas (Nov. 10, 2023) – The Texas Woman's basketball team put on a show in their home opener, defeating Western Colorado 66-47 on Friday night.
 
All we do is win blared through the speakers on Friday night after TWU's decisive 19-point win over the Mountaineers.
 
With the win over WCU (0-1), TWU (4-0) remains undefeated and has won their fourth game in a row, as they start the season 4-0 for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
 
"After starting our season on the road, it is always so exciting to be back in KMA," TWU Head Coach Beth Jillson said. "Our team came out locked in and ready to play today. I am proud of the way we responded throughout the game, staying connected and focused no matter the circumstance or score. Our bench was the spark we needed tonight with 19 points. I am so proud of the hard work our team puts in and the passion they bring to the court every single day. We hope to see everyone tomorrow in KMA."
 
The Pioneers were led in the win by a career high 20 points from Leila Patel. Joining Patel with double-digit points was Ashley Ingram, who finished with 16, and Averee Kleinhans, who scored a season high 10 points in her KMA debut with TWU.
 
In the LSC, Ingram currently ranks second on the scoring leader board, averaging 20.8 points per game, and Patel ranks 10th, averaging 15.3 points per game.
 
Kleinhans led the bench scoring for the Pioneers, as the bench finished with a season high 19 points in the win. Providing energy off the bench also was Ahrianna Morgan. In her KMA debut, the freshman guard matched her career high of five points and also added a career high six rebounds to lead the Pioneers on the boards.
 
TWU scored 28 points in the paint in the wire-to-wire win – their first of the season. The Pioneers also forced the Mountaineers to turn the ball over 14 times for 15 TWU points.
 
From the free throw line, the Pioneers were a near perfect, going 17-18 from the charity stripe – their highest percentage from the free throw line this season.
 
The 19-point victory marked the largest margin of victory for TWU this season. Western Colorado's 47 points was the lowest point total of any TWU opponent this season, as the Pioneers were a force on defense. TWU also held the Mountaineers to shooting just 30.4% from the field and 16.6% from the three point line.
 
In their home opener, TWU came out with elevated energy. In the opening possession, Ariyanna Hines knocked down a three to start the scoring and ignite an opening 11-0 run across the first five minutes of action. The Pioneers would find their largest lead of the first quarter at eight off a second chance layup by Caroline Glud Rasmussen to put the Pioneers ahead, 13-5.
 
TWU would end the quarter much the same way they started – with a triple, courtesy of Patel off the assist by Jada Celsur.
 
The Pioneers would head into the second quarter of action with a six point advantage, 18-12.
 
The energy never wavered for TWU, as the electrifying atmosphere continued in the second quarter. Patel opened the quarter with three straight points to increase TWU's lead to nine, 22-13.
 
A three by Celsur with 7:32 on the clock would give the Pioneers their first double-digit lead of the game, 27-15. Then, a 9-0 run by TWU would be capped off with a jumper by Ahrianna Morgan at 5:47 in the lane to give the Pioneers their largest lead of the first half for the first time at 16, 31-15. After back-to-back three pointers by the Mountaineers, a layup by Ingram followed by a jumper by Kleinhans would put the Pioneers back up by 16, 37-21, with 2:51 remaining in the half.
 
Only one more basket would be scored in the second quarter by WCU, as the Pioneers went into the halftime break ahead by 14, 37-23.
 
TWU returned from halftime on a mission to close the game out. With 5:43 on the clock, Gionna Carr hit a layup to put the Pioneers ahead by 20 for the first time in the game, 45-25. Two made free throws by Kleinhans increased TWU's lead to 22, 47-25 with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter. The Mountaineers would score just eight points in the third quarter, as TWU headed to the fourth with a 19-point advantage, 50-31.
 
Ingram lit the scoring flame for TWU to start the fourth quarter, scoring in the opening 12 seconds of play and then again 24 seconds later to increase the lead to 54-33. Ahrianna Morgan knocked down her first three in KMA in exciting fashion with four minutes remaining in the game, giving the Pioneers their largest lead of the night at 27, 66-39. WCU would close the game with eight unanswered points in the final four minutes, but the Pioneers explosive play throughout proved to be the difference maker. TWU would win their home opener 66-47.
 
The Pioneers will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. in the Conference Challenge against MSU Denver.