SAN ANGELO, Texas (Feb. 16, 2023) – Keslyn King led the Texas Woman's basketball team with a career-high 22 points on 8-14 from the field tonight, as the Pioneers fell to Angelo State, 73-69.
 
TWU (23-2, 18-1) lost to ASU (21-5, 16-4) on the road in Stephens Arena on Thursday night. The loss marked the Pioneers' first conference loss of the season; nevertheless, they remain atop the east division and the only LSC team with just one loss.  
 
The Pioneers started the game off on a 4-0 run, behind a layup by Ashley Ingram and two made free throws by Ariyanna Hines.
 
Following the run, the Rambelles started to catch a rhythm offensively, but TWU maintained the pressure defensively, forcing ASU into four turnovers in the first quarter.
 
King gave TWU their largest lead of first quarter at five points, 11-6, with four minutes remaining in the quarter.
 
The defense for the Pioneers continued to ramp up, as they held the Rambelles scoreless for three minutes. Hines closed the quarter with a bucket for TWU, but ASU answered to send the Pioneers into the second quarter with a one-point lead, 13-12.
 
The second quarter was a dead-lock – both teams scored 14 each. With 3:53 on the clock, Jordan Jackson connected on a layup to give the Pioneers their largest lead of the half at six points, 25-19.
 
Ingram hit the final bucket of the half for the Pioneers with one minute remaining on the clock, but Angelo State closed the first half with a jumper to send TWU into the halftime break ahead by one-point, 27-26.
 
Following halftime, TWU responded with tenacity and fight. They started out the second half on the right note with back-to-back baskets by Ngozi Obineke and Hines, mixed in was a steal by Brielle Woods to set up the basket by Hines.
 
Then, Huffman answered the offensive call for the Pioneers with a pair of jumpers, and Sadie Moyer rode the momentum to two made three-pointers, igniting a 10-2 run for the Pioneers and increasing their lead to nine points, 41-32, with five minutes remaining in the third.
 
The Pioneers found their largest lead of the game twice in the third quarter at 12 points off jump shots by Moyer and King at the three minute mark.
 
Nevertheless, the leading scorer for the Rambelles, Sawyer Lloyd, closed the quarter with nine points, but TWU stayed connected by getting to the free throw line. Two made free-throws by Moyer closed the quarter, sending TWU into the final quarter of action ahead by four points, 49-45.
ASU showed a tight press through most of the second half, which stalled the Pioneers' get-out-and-go mentality and offensive sets, but the Pioneers found ways to continue to score and maintain composure in the game.
 
TWU controlled the lead until the halfway point of the fourth quarter off a Rambelles made three, 57-55. The bucket-getter of the night for the Pioneers, King, quickly tied it back up on a layup, 57-57.
 
Over the next three minutes, the Rambelles went on a 9-0 run that was silenced by King with two made free throws to cut ASU's lead to five with two minutes remaining in the game.
 
The final two minutes went back-and-forth but was ultimately decided by fouls and free throws.
 
With 21 seconds remaining in the game, TWU cut the Rambelles' lead to just two points, 70-68, after a rebound and made free throw by Obineke.
 
The Pioneers could not find the equalizing bucket, as the Rambelles scored three more free throws to close the game, 73-69.
 
Moyer joined King in double-digits with 12 points on a perfect night from the free throw line (4-4). Ingram, in one half of play, scored seven points and grabbed three rebounds. Huffman and Hines both finished with six points each.
 
TWU was led on the defensive end by Woods with three steals and eight rebounds. She also guided the Pioneers to a win in the rebound column, 44-33. Additionally, the Pioneers forced ASU to commit 16 turnovers, but ASU shot 54.5% from the three point line in the win.
 
The Pioneers scored more than 20 points in two quarters tonight, scoring 22 in the third and 20 in the fourth.
 
TWU will go on the road for their next game. On Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1 p.m., they will tip-off with UT Permian Basin for their first and only meeting in Odessa, Texas this season.