WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Nov. 30, 2023) – The Texas Woman's basketball opened Lone Star Conference action with a dazzling offensive performance.
 
TWU (7-1, 1-0) scored their most points of the season, defeating Midwestern State (0-7, 0-1) on Thursday night, 90-72.
 
The Pioneers hit the 90-point mark for the first time since the 2021-22 season, when they scored 90 in their overtime win in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament over MSU Denver on March 11.
 
"Everyone stepped up tonight," TWU Head Coach Beth Jillson said. "I am proud of our team for securing the road win to start LSC play off with a tremendous effort. Our attacking mentality and shot selection on offense led us to our most points of the season tonight. The bench contribution also proved to be a huge difference maker in both energy and in offensive production. We look forward to our next opportunity at Cameron on Saturday."
 
Across the four quarters of action, TWU scored 20 or more points in all four quarters, hitting 25 points in the first and third and 20 in the second and fourth. The 25 points in the first and third quarter matched the Pioneers' most points in a quarter this season.
 
The 90-point performance represented a total team effort from the Pioneers. Eight TWU players scored in the win, along with five Pioneers scoring in double digits. Leila Patel, Scout Huffman and Averee Kleinhans all topped the Pioneers' leader board with 19 points each. Kleinhans' 19 points represented a career high for the sophomore. She also added a career high seven rebounds.
 
Jada Celsur joined the Pioneers' double digit list with a season high 17 points. The final TWU player in double digits was Ashley Ingram. In the 18 point win, Ingram scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds – her third double-double of the season and 16th of her career. Along with the double-double, she also dished out a career high tying six assists.
 
Led by Ingram's six assists, the Pioneers recorded a season high 24 assists in the win – their most assists in a game since the 2014-15 season.
 
In the win, TWU shot 52.5% from the field – their second highest shooting percentage from the field this season, and they also shot 33.3% from the three point line. The Pioneers also scored a season high 48 points in the paint.
 
TWU found their first double digit lead of the night halfway through the first quarter off a fast break layup by Patel to put the Pioneers' ahead by 11, 16-5. Keeping their foot on the gas throughout the first quarter, a steal by Ingram and a layup by Kleinhans would give the Pioneers their largest lead of the first half at 16, 23-7, with three minutes remaining in the opening quarter of action.
 
Heading into the second quarter with a 12-point advantage, 25-13, TWU aimed to increase their lead across the next 10 minutes. The Pioneers would lead by as much as 15 twice, last after a layup by Kleinhans at the 2:52 mark, as the Pioneers' led 43-28. Kleinhans' basket would be the Pioneers' final bucket of the first half, as TWU went scoreless for the remainder of the quarter and the Mustangs closed with an 11-0 run to cut TWU's lead to six headed into halftime, 45-39.
 
Throughout the third quarter, the Pioneers worked to lock down on defense and maintain their hot hand on the offensive end. TWU held the Mustangs to just 14 points in the third quarter, and the Pioneers found their largest lead of the quarter at the end of the third. A Huffman connection from downtown would put the Pioneers ahead by 17, their largest lead, as TWU headed to the final quarter of action with the 70-53 advantage.
 
Half of TWU's points in the fourth quarter would come from free throws. The Pioneers shot 14 free throws in the quarter and made 10. The fourth quarter continued to be a scoring barrage for TWU, as they closed the game on a 15-3 run also shutting down MSU on defense to secure the win.
 
TWU would find their largest lead of the night on the final basket of the game, a layup by Ariyanna Hines with 18 seconds left in the game, to seal the win, 90-72.
 
The Pioneers will continue their road LSC action on Saturday, Dec. 2 against Cameron at 1 p.m.