BILLINGS, Mont. (Nov. 4, 2023) – In their second game of the season, the Texas Woman's basketball team recorded their second win against a Top 15 ranked opponent.
 
No. 24 TWU (2-0) defeated No. 2 Minnesota State Mankato (1-1) 76-71 on the second day of the D2CCA Tipoff Classic, hosted by Montana State Billings.
 
In another exciting 40 minutes of action, the Pioneers once again dominated the points in the paint, scoring 38 in the game. TWU shot 41.7% from the field in the win, while the Mavericks shot 38.2%. From beyond the arc, the two teams shot the same percentage, 29.4%.
 
The Pioneers won the second chance points category, recording 15 offensive rebounds and scoring 16 points off those offensive rebounds.
 
Despite committing 23 turnovers, which turned into 22 points for the Mavericks, the Pioneers battled and remained focused. On the defensive end, the Pioneers forced the Mavericks into 16 turnovers, which translated into 18 points for TWU.
 
Ashley Ingram, the Player of the Game, recorded a standout performance in the win over No. 2 Minnesota State Mankato. Ingram finished the game with 29 points and 11 rebounds, recording her first double-double of the 2023-24 season and 14th double-double of her career. The junior's 29 points were just one point off her career high of 30 points, which she hit during her freshman season on Jan. 20, 2022 against Midwestern State.
 
Two more Pioneers finished the game with double-digit points. Leila Patel scored a career high 15 points and added three rebounds and two assists. Jada Celsur finished the game with 12 points and eight rebounds.
 
Freshman Ahrianna Morgan recorded her first points as a Pioneer, scoring five points in the win and also grabbing two rebounds.
 
The Top 25 battle between the two teams proved to be an intense, highly talented back-and-forth contest. Throughout the 40 minutes, the score was tied 12 times and the lead changed 15 times.
 
In the first quarter, Minnesota State Mankato scored the first two baskets of the game, before Ingram opened the scoring for the Pioneers with a layup with 7:29 on the clock. TWU found their first lead of the game, 6-5, off a layup by Averee Kleinhans.
 
Neither team would lead by more than three in the opening quarter. Kleinhans dished an assist to Ingram with 1:31 left to give TWU their largest lead of the opening quarter, 16-14. Then, the Mavericks and Pioneers traded baskets for the remaining minutes. Two made free throws by the Mavericks closed the opening quarter with TWU trailing by three points, 20-17.
 
To open the second quarter, Ingram and Patel scored back-to-back-to-back layups to generate momentum for the Pioneers and take a three point lead, 23-20.
 
After trading baskets and a few minutes of scoreless action, TWU finally broke through with one minute left in the half and found the largest lead of the first half for either team.
 
Following a three pointer by Patel with 1:10 on the clock, the Pioneers played strong defense. With 22 seconds left in the half, Huffman grabbed a rebound on the defensive end and then scored on the offensive end, creating an and-one opportunity to give TWU the six point advantage, 38-32.
 
The Mavericks would score one more basket in the waning seconds of the half; nevertheless, the Pioneers would take the lead into the locker room, 38-34.
 
In the third quarter, Ahrianna Morgan hit her first career three to push TWU's lead back to five, 44-39. Then, after an and-one opportunity by Minnesota State Mankato, which cut the Pioneers' deficit to two, 44-42, Ahrianna Morgan answered the call again. Kleinhans forced a steal and pushed the ball down the court and ahead to Ahrianna Morgan, who connected on the layup to give the Pioneers the four point lead with 4:44 on the clock.
 
For the remaining four minutes of the quarter, the scoring would go back-and-forth; nevertheless, the Pioneers had the final say in the third quarter, as Ariyanna Hines hit a layup to bring TWU within two, 56-54, heading into the fourth and final quarter of action.
 
The Mavericks would open a six point lead in the first three minutes of action, 62-56, but the run would be silenced by a Huffman triple, assisted by Patel, to bring TWU back within three, 62-59. Huffman lit the match for the Pioneers momentarily beyond the arc, as Celsur answered with a triple right after Huffman to tie the game at 62 each with 6:20 left in the game.
 
After falling behind by two again, Celsur would once again prove to be clutch, hitting two free throws to tie the game – this time at 64 each – with five minutes remaining. Celsur's free throws would ignite a 6-2 run for TWU, giving TWU a five point lead, 70-65, with 3:40 on the clock.
 
With 1:29 left, the score would be tied for the 12th time at 71 after a free throw by Patel. Then, the Pioneers would not allow the Mavericks to score another basket and would be perfect from the free throw line to close the game.
 
Two free throws by Ingram and lock down defense by the Pioneers would seal the win, 76-71.
 
TWU will be back in action tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. in their final game of the D2CCA Tipoff Classic against University of Mary.
 
Watch post game interviews by Ashley Ingram here and Head Coach Beth Jillson here.