LAREDO, Texas (Feb. 15, 2024) – With a highly efficient offensive production, the Texas Woman's basketball team secured their 13th straight win, as they defeated Texas A&M International on the road 91-85.

No. 9 TWU (23-3, 17-1) recorded their fifth win against a Top 25 opponent with their six-point victory over No. 25 TAMIU (21-5, 13-5) on Thursday night.

On their way to their most points of the season at 91, the Pioneers recorded two quarters – the second and fourth – with 30-plus points, scoring 31 in the second quarter and 30 in the fourth quarter. This marked the first time since Feb. 23, 2017 (a 103-90 win over Cameron) for TWU to score 30 or more points in more than one quarter.
The Pioneers' 91 points also marked the second most scored by any Dustdevils' opponent this season.

It was an efficient night for TWU from the field on their way to 91 points. From the field, the Pioneers shot 58.9% – their second highest game field goal percentage of the season and 11th time shooting 50% or higher in a game this season. From beyond the arc, TWU shot 42.9%, which tied for their third highest three point percentage of the season.

TWU's highest quarter of efficiency was the fourth, when they scored 30 points on 10-of-11 from the field, 2-of-2 from the three and 8-11 from the free throw line.

Leila Patel led the Pioneers on offense in exciting fashion, finishing the game with a career high 27 points – her sixth time this season scoring 20 or more points. Patel shot 10-of-17 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line.

Four Pioneers joined Patel in double-digits. Ashley Ingram led the Pioneers in efficiency. She finished with 17 points on a perfect night from the field (5-of-5) and a perfect night from the charity stripe (7-of-7). She also added 10 rebounds to her stat line to record her 13th double-double of the season.

Ingram's 17 points tonight pushed her to fifth on the TWU All-Time Points List. Ingram currently has 1,289 points on the season.

Scout Huffman helped lead TWU to the win with 15 points, and Averee Kleinhans added 12 timely points in the win. Caroline Glud Rasmussen rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Pioneers, as she finished the game with a season high 11 points with two clutch three pointers.

The success for TWU on offense flowed from their successful distribution of the ball. The Pioneers dished out 23 total assists tonight, marking their third time this season with 20 or more assists in a game. Jada Celsur led the charge for TWU in ball distribution with a career high 10 assists, narrowly missing a double-double with nine points. Ingram recorded four assists – pushing her one above the former Pioneer in 10th on the TWU All-Time Assists list with 195 total assists currently on her career.

On the game leader board, Patel, Kleinhans, Glud Rasmussen and Ariyanna Hines all recorded two assists.

TWU finished the night with 24 rebounds. Ingram led with 10 boards, which also pushed her into fifth all-time on the TWU All-Time Rebounds List with 621 rebounds currently on her career.

Patel recorded another career mark, grabbing a career high seven rebounds in the win.

On defense, TWU forced TAMIU to turn the ball over 16 times and scored 21 points off those turnovers. Patel, Ingram, Huffman and Hines all lead with two steals each.

In the first 10 minutes of action, TWU fought back from an early first quarter deficit, as the Dustdevils opened the game with an early 9-2 run. The Pioneers struggled to find their rhythm in the opening minutes of action. TAMIU would lead by as much as 11 and take a 24-15 advantage into the second quarter.

Nevertheless, the Pioneers remained composed and battled back, taking it one play at a time.

TWU opened the second quarter with a 7-2 run to cut their deficit to four with 8:30 on the clock. Then, the Pioneers continued to ignite momentum. With 6:14 on the clock, Hines grabbed a steal and dished it ahead to Patel to tie the game at 28 each.

The scoring shifted hands again, but Kleinhans quickly tied it back up at 30-30 with five minutes remaining in the half. Just 40 seconds later, a jumper by Patel would give TWU their first lead of the game, 32-30.

TWU would continue to push their momentum and raise the energy, as they led for the remainder of the second quarter.

With 16 seconds remaining in the first half, a clutch three pointer by Patel off the assist by Hines would send the Pioneers into the locker room with their largest lead of the first half at six, 46-40.

In the second quarter, TWU scored 31 points and held the Dustdevils to just 16 points.

The Pioneers came out of the gate in the third quarter with energy. Patel opened the half with a successful and-one opportunity to push the Pioneers lead to nine, 49-40, in the opening 20 seconds of the quarter.

After leading by nine, the scoring would go back-and-forth for much of the third quarter. The scoring mirrored the first quarter, as TWU scored 15 points to TAMIU's 24 points. The score was tied once in the third quarter, 59-59, at the 1:35 mark.

After back-to-back baskets in the final minute of play, TAMIU took a three-point lead into the final quarter of action, 64-61.

Despite the low-scoring third quarter, the Pioneers stayed locked in and never lost focus. In the fourth quarter, they lit a match and caught fire on the offensive side again.

TWU closed the game with their second 30-point quarter of the night, scoring 30 points to TAMIU's 21 points.

Glud Rasmussen ignited the match for TWU, opening the fourth quarter with back-to-back buckets to put TWU ahead by one, 65-64.

The scoring would flop between teams, until it was tied at 69-69 with 7:17 on the clock. TAMIU broke away momentarily and led by as much as four two times over the next two minutes of play.

Then, with 5:57 on the clock, a free throw by Kleinhans would cut the deficit to three, 75-72, and Patel followed with a layup 20 seconds later after a steal to cut the Dustdevils' lead to one, 75-74.

With 4:58 left in the fourth, Kleinhans went 1-of-2 from the free throw line to tie the game at 75. TWU would maintain the slight lead over the next three minutes, until TAMIU tied it up again at 80-each with 1:53 remaining.

In clutch time, the Pioneers stepped up. Kleinhans quickly scored a layup to take the lead, 82-80. Then, with under a minute to play – 58 seconds on the clock – Patel splashed a corner three out of the timeout to extend the lead to five, 85-80, and the Pioneers would never look back.

TWU showed their poise and perseverance in the game. As TAMIU fouled in an attempt to extend the game, the Pioneers went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final minute to seal the game, 91-85.

"Tonight was a great example of the versatility, heart and fight of our team," TWU Head Coach Beth Jillson said. "Our team found a way to win. Everyone found a way to impact the game, from scoring to assists to rebounds to bench energy – it took everyone tonight. I am proud of Leila and Jada for having career nights, as it truly exemplifies the hard work they put in day-in and day-out. We are looking forward to another great opportunity against a good opponent on Saturday,"

The Pioneers will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. at Texas A&M – Kingsville.