DENTON, Texas (Nov. 20, 2024) – In their home opener, the Texas Woman's basketball team celebrated a 26-point win over the Colorado School of Mines.

TWU (6-0) started off the night by celebrating their historical 2023-24 season, by unveiling their championship banners. The night began with words from Dr. Carine Feyten and a proclamation from the City of Denton read by Mayor Gerard Hudspeth.

The celebration continued throughout the night, as the Pioneers topped the Colorado School of Mines, 83-57 – marking their largest margin of victory this season.

The Pioneers also celebrated the annual Dean's Cup, as the Merrilee Alexander Kick College of Business claimed this year's Dean's Cup.

It was a great night of celebrating last season and ushering in a new season for the Pioneers in Kitty Magee Arena.

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Ashley Ingram led the way on offense for TWU, matching her season high with 23 points. She also grabbed nine rebounds, one steal and dished out a season high six assists.
• Leila Patel joined Ingram in double-digits with 13. She shared the wealth and recorded a career high five assists in the win.
• Jada Celsur was the third Pioneer to finish in double digits, closing the night with a season high 12 points. Once again, she locked down on defense and matched her career high with two blocks and four steals.
• Ariyanna Hines, who was perfect from the three point line tonight, added eight points in the win. Scout Huffman and Gabby Elliott also finished with eight points, which matched a season high for Elliott. Both Huffman and Elliott also went perfect from the free throw line. Huffman is now a perfect 4-of-4 on the season.
• Every Pioneer who entered the game scored at least two points.

PIONEER POWER MOMENTS

• The Pioneers shot 51.6% from the field and matched their season high with 40% from the three point line. They scored 19 points off the bench and 12 second chance points.
• TWU owned the paint tonight, outscoring the Orediggers 46-24.
• The Pioneers also locked down on defense, as they forced the Colorado School of Mines to turn the ball over 21 times, which resulted in 26 Pioneer points.
• TWU limited their turnovers to just eight – their lowest of the season.
• The Pioneers worked to share the wealth, as they dished out a season high 17 assists in the win.
• In the first quarter, both teams worked to find their rhythm, as it was a high-scoring opening quarter for both sides. After going back-and-forth, Elliott hit a layup to come within one to close the first quarter, 19-18.
• Despite trailing heading into the second quarter, the Pioneers utilized their momentum to turn the tides in quarter two. TWU held the Orediggers to just nine points in the second quarter of action – it marks the fifth quarter this season the Pioneers have held their opponent to scoring under 10 points.
• The Pioneers defense fueled a 22-point quarter, which allowed TWU to increase the lead.
• A layup by Celsur would give TWU their first double-digit lead of the night at 10, 38-28, with 1:36 remaining in the half. Then, a layup by Averee Kleinhans increased TWU's lead headed into the half, 40-28.
• TWU would close the game out with three straight quarters of 20 or more points.
• The Pioneers kept the energy rolling in quarter three. Their largest lead of the quarter came after an Elliott bucket at the 5:25 mark off the assist from Kayla Glover to put TWU ahead by 23, 54-31.
• Patel dished an assist to Ingram in the final second of the third quarter to send TWU into the final quarter of action ahead by 17, 62-45.
• The threes rained in the fourth quarter for the Pioneers, as they connected on four of their six triples in the fourth quarter. Hines opened the fourth with one to put TWU back ahead by 20, 65-45. Celsur would knock down a three at the 8:09 mark, 71-47. Then, Hines would quickly add another with 7:28 on the clock, 74-47. With 5:29 remaining in the game, Gionna Carr swished a three to give TWU their first 30-point lead of the night.
• TWU would lead by 30 once more with three minutes remaining after a Carr layup, 81-51.
• Two made free throws by Elliott would end the game and seal TWU's 26-point win, 83-57.

HEAR FROM ASHLEY INGRAM

Hear from Ashley Ingram after the Pioneers' win: https://youtu.be/Zb2m0cxdkGk.

NEXT UP

The Pioneers open conference action this Saturday on the road at UT Tyler. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Tyler, Texas.