Basketball | 11/3/2023 11:33:00 AM

DENTON, Texas (Nov. 3, 2023) – Legends are not made overnight. History is not made instantly, rather it's the small moments – the sweat, the hard work, the perseverance and the fight in each and every opportunity.

This is the outlook for the 2023-24 Texas Woman's basketball team. After a record-breaking historical season last year, they are mentally focused on one game at a time.

Senior Scout Huffman echoed this sentiment for the team.

"My mindset going into the season is to play one game at a time, and to continue to get better and grow to be the best teammate and person that I can be," Huffman said.

When the focus is on one game, then it allows the team to not become overwhelmed with the expanse of a long season and to really remember why they love the game of basketball.

"I love basketball because of the different opportunities that it presents," junior Ashley Ingram said. "It gives you the opportunity to take the lessons you learn from basketball and apply them to life. It also gives you friends, teammates and coaches that turn into family."

For junior Leila Patel, she loves the game because of the travel and friendship opportunities.

"I love basketball because it is fun, and I love the friendships I have made through basketball," Patel said. "It has brought me many new opportunities and has allowed me to travel to new places as well."

A new place the team will be traveling to this year is Billings, Mont., as the Pioneers start the season at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic on Friday, Nov. 3.

"I'm very excited about starting the season in Montana because it's a fun, new place that our team has yet to go to, and play teams that we haven't seen," Huffman said. "I'm excited to see how we compete."

Going into the start of the season, the Pioneers returned six players from last season, but also welcomed seven newcomers to the roster. For both Ingram and Patel, the experience from the returners matches well with the winning mentality of the newcomers – a fact which will make the Pioneers successful this season.

"This team has a lot of new faces that bring different points of view that will be valuable for our season," Ingram said. "I'm excited to see what this team can do."

"I think this team is special because we have a core group of returners and we have some great new additions," Patel said. "I think we get along well and are always making each other better in practice."

While the team wants to keep the focus on one game at a time, Huffman said they are excited to continue to build upon the foundation of success they have pioneered the past two seasons.

"These past couple of seasons, we've been able to set the bar for how successful TWU Basketball should be, and have put TWU on the map," Huffman said. "Being able to be on a history-making team has been an amazing honor, and I anticipate that we just keep getting better. We are hoping to go farther in the post season this year by learning from each game, and coming in every day to be the best team we can be."

Being the best team they can be involves more than just being great on the court, it also includes being great teammates, students and people. A goal the Pioneers continue to work towards every day with the support of everyone around them.

"I love being a Pioneer because of the constant support from the staff and my teammates," Patel said.

In support and in effort, Huffman, Ingram and Patel all echoed the main goal of the team this year is consistency – a trait each of these three leaders wants to exemplify.

"A big goal for myself this season is to grow as a leader on and off the court, and to get better every day," Huffman said. "Every day, I plan to do the best of my ability and let God do the rest. One of the goals for our team is to bring our best energy every single day and to be consistent in showing up and showing out."

"One goal for myself this season is to be the best leader my team needs me to be," Ingram said. "I want to be able to not only lead them vocally but by example. One goal for my team this season is to stay consistent. Our conference has tough competition, so it is important for us to stay consistent through the season to do well in the conference."

"We know we can do achieve our goals, but we have to work hard at the goal every day," Patel said. "A personal goal is to stay healthy and to contribute to the team in whatever way I need to that day."

Success and commitment to consistency – one day and one game at time.