BILLINGS, Mont. (Nov. 3, 2023) – For the third straight year, the Texas Woman's basketball started off the season with a victory.
 
In thrilling fashion, TWU (1-0) defeated No. 15 Montana State – Billings (0-1) on their home court by one point, 73-72. The 40 minutes of action consisted of high level play, as the two nationally ranked teams battled it out to the final second.
 
The game marked just the second meeting between these two teams, and the victory was the first win for TWU against the Yellowjackets in program history.
 
"What an exciting way to start the season," TWU Head Coach Beth Jillson said. "We played an incredible opponent on their home floor to start the season, and they had a great crowd. I am so proud of our team's resiliency throughout the entire game. We stayed together as a team and battled through the adversity to record the win. Every single player contributed tonight. Our bench really came into the game strong and played crucial minutes for us. It was a great win in a great environment, and we look forward to our next opportunity."
 
In their first game of the D2CCA Tipoff Classic, hosted by MSUB, the Pioneers were led by the Player of the Game, Scout Huffman. Huffman scored 20 points on 2-of-2 from beyond the arc and grabbed five rebounds in the win, as she starts off her senior campaign with a double-digit performance. Huffman's points came at crucial minutes for the Pioneers down the stretch, as she led them to the win.
 
Lone Star Conference Preseason Player to Watch Ashley Ingram brought the show as well for TWU – going a perfect 6-of-6 from the field to finish with 19 points. Ingram also led the Pioneers with eight boards and dished out three assists. The perfection on Friday night marks the second time Ingram has achieved this feat in her career, last going 6-of-6 from the field on Feb. 25 against UT Tyler.
 
Two more Pioneers joined Huffman and Ingram in double-digits to start the season – Leila Patel and Jada Celsur. Patel finished the game with a career high 13 points in 33 minutes of action. The starting point guard for the Pioneers, Celsur, recorded 11 points in the win and filled the stat sheet, ending her 37 minutes of action with three rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal.
 
To Coach Jillson's point, everyone contributed in the victory. Four more Pioneers would record buckets, as Gionna Carr finished with four points, including two crucial free throws, and Ariyanna Hines, Averee Kleinhans and Caroline Glud Rasmussen all added two points.
 
In the win, the Pioneers shot 54.7% from the field and dominated the play in the paint, scoring 42 of their 73 points near the basket. They held the Yellowjackets to shooting just 22.2% behind the arc on 18 attempts.
 
TWU forced MSUB into nine turnovers but gave up 13 for 15 Yellowjackets' points.
 
The exciting season-opening game boasted four tie scores, most of which came in the final minutes and 11 lead changes.
 
In a close first 10 minutes, the two teams traded baskets, with no team leading by more than two points, until the final 17 seconds when a steal by Kleinhans set up a jump shot by Huffman off an Ingram assist to send the Pioneers to the second quarter up by three points, 17-14.
 
Huffman wasted no time continuing the scoring in the second quarter, connecting on a three with 9:48 on the clock to extend TWU's lead to 9:48. Then, halfway through the second quarter, Ingram got a block on the defensive end and then a layup on the other end to give the Pioneers their largest lead of the first half at seven points, 31-24.
 
A three pointer by the Player of the Game Scout Huffman sent TWU into the locker room with a six point advantage 38-32.
 
Out of the halftime break, the Pioneers opened the third quarter with a 6-2 run, finding their first double digit lead of the game at the 8:20 mark, 44-34.
 
Gionna Carr gave TWU their largest lead of the night at the 2:23 mark of the third quarter, pushing the lead to 11, 57-46. TWU would never trail in the third quarter, as they headed into the fourth with a seven point lead, 60-53.
 
After leading by as much as 11 in the fourth quarter, MSUB begin to chip away at the 4:53 mark, cutting the Pioneers' lead to five, 68-63. After a scoreless drought by TWU and eight straight points by the Yellowjackets, TWU faced their first deficit since the first quarter, 69-68, with 1:39.
 
Huffman quickly answered and put TWU up by one, 70-69, with a jumper out of a TUW timeout.
 
After the score was tied at 70 each, Huffman missed a jumper, but Ingram grabbed the offensive board and got the and-one layup call. With the made free throw, Ingram cushioned the Pioneers' lead to three points, 73-70.
 
In the final 30 seconds, which included multiple timeouts, the Yellowjackets would have two looks and the Pioneers would miss four free throws, but TWU's lock down defense and cool composure would lead them to the season opening victory.
 
The Pioneers will be back in action this afternoon against No. 2 Minnesota State Mankato at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic at 1:15 p.m.
 
Watch post game interviews by Scout Huffman here and Head Coach Beth Jillson here.