TYLER, Texas (Feb. 29, 2024) – On leap day, the Texas Woman's basketball team was leaping for joy, as they claimed the Lone Star Conference Regular Season and East Division Title with their Thursday night win over UT Tyler.

With the win on Thursday over UTT (24-7, 18-4), No. 10 TWU (26-4, 20-2) repeated as LSC Regular Season and East Division Champions, marking their second time claiming the title in program history and first time going back-to-back.  TWU also claimed the No. 1 seed in the LSC Conference Championships, which will begin next week. A full bracket will be released on Saturday.

The Pioneers also recorded their 26th win of the season, which ties their program record for most wins in a season, which they set during the 2022-23 season.

After trailing 17-10 in the first quarter, the Pioneers won the remaining three quarters to defeat the Patriots and be crowned champions.

Ashley Ingram led the offensive charge for TWU with 22 points on 6-of-13 from the field and 9-of-11 from the three point line. Ingram also led the Pioneers on the boards with 10 rebounds to record her 15th double-double of the season. Ingram also dished out four assists to complete her impressive stat line.

Joining Ingram in double-digits was Scout Huffman, who finished with 10 points on 50% from the field. Huffman also grabbed six rebounds, one steal and recorded one block to fill the stat sheet.

The Pioneers dominated the glass, outrebounding UT Tyler 37-28. While Ingram led with 10, Caroline Glud Rasmussen grabbed a season high seven rebounds to help lead the Pioneers.

On their way to 69 points, TWU shared the wealth with 15 overall assists. Ingram and Averee Kleinhans both led with four each.

TWU shot 47.9% from the field and 38.9% from the three. They also defended well, holding UT Tyler to just 59 points on 38.2% from the field and 30.4% from the three point line. The Pioneers also collectively held the Patriots leading scorer, No 10 Tina Machalova, to zero points. 

While the Pioneers gave up 18 turnovers for 25 Patriots' points, which most of those came in the first half, TWU remained composed and relentless in their pursuit to win – never giving up down the stretch and working to remain connected in the game.

With the championship and No. 1 seed up for grabs for the victor of tonight's game, all 40 minutes lived up to the hype. The score was tied 10 times and the lead changed seven times.

Glud Rasmussen opened the scoring for the Pioneers in the first quarter with a layup at 7:53 to tie the game early 2-2. Then, the score went back-and-forth until TWU went on a five-minute scoring drought. Despite struggling on the offensive end, TWU worked to turn the energy up on the defensive end. Kleinhans drew two charges in the opening quarter to fire up the Pioneers.

Ingram finally broke the drought at the 1:33 mark to cut their deficit to nine, 17-8. TWU then held the Patriots scoreless for the remainder of the first quarter, and, with two made free throws by Kleinhans, the Pioneers went into the second quarter trailing by just seven, 17-10.

After scoring 10 in the first 10 minutes, the Pioneers reignited their offense and scored 21 points in the second quarter of action.

With 7:59 on the clock, Gionna Carr ignited TWU's bench and crowd with a three pointer to cut UT Tyler's lead to just four points, 19-15. After a Patriots' three, Carr quickly answered again just 54 seconds later with another exciting triple to keep TWU within four, 22-18. Then, Ariyanna Hines followed up Carr's triple with a jumper in the paint to bring the Pioneers within two, 22-20.

Following an and-one opportunity, Hines caught the triple energy and hit a three to again bring TWU within two, 25-23, with 5:30 remaining in the second quarter.

The Pioneers and Patriots would go back-and-forth, with TWU remaining at least two points away, until 1:31 on the clock. Ingram, who battled down low double teams all night, drew the foul and connected on both free throws to tie the game at 31 each. Nevertheless, UT Tyler closed the half with two baskets to head into halftime with the five point advantage, 36-31. 

After halftime, TWU came out focused and the final two quarters proved it, as the Pioneers outscored the Patriots across the final 20 minutes, 38-23. In the third quarter alone, TWU held UT Tyler to just 10 points.

TWU opened the third quarter with a 7-0 run ignited by Huffman. Jada Celsur gave the Pioneers their first lead since the first quarter, 38-36, after a successful and-one play, which brought the TWU crowd to their feet.

The baskets continued to trade hands, as the score would be tied three times throughout the third quarter. Nevertheless, TWU had the final word of the third quarter, as Ingram connected on a jumper to send the Pioneers into the final quarter of action ahead by one, 47-46.

Once again, the teams traded buckets. After back-and-forth baskets, a three by Ingram equalized the score at 52 each with 7:41 remaining in the game.

After staying connected and relentless in the pursuit of their goal to win, the momentum and control shifted to TWU with 4:46 remaining in the game. Trailing by two, Glud Rasmussen knocked down a triple to give the Pioneers a one-point advantage, 57-56, and ignite the closing run for the Pioneers. Glud Rasmussen followed up her triple with a made layup to increase TWU's lead to three, 59-56.

UT Tyler would cut it to two with 2:09 left in the game, but it did not shake or falter the Pioneers. On the next play, Ingram grabbed her own miss and scored it to put TWU ahead by four, 61-57. Then, with one minute remaining, Leila Patel hit the dagger for TWU, connecting on a triple off an assist from Celsur to give TWU a seven-point advantage, 64-57.

The Patriots entered the foul game to try to extend the game, but the Pioneers remained clutch in crunch time, going 5-of-6 in the remaining minute from the charity strip to seal the game and claim the championship victory, 69-59.

"Our team left it all out on the floor tonight," TWU Head Coach Beth Jillson said. "They set Regular Season Champions as one of their goals before the season began, and they were relentless in their pursuit of seeing the goal realized. Through it all, I am so proud of how this team battled and grew, but most of all, they played with joy – joy in the opportunity to play the game and be in a position to win a championship. I am so proud of them, and I am so excited we get to continue this incredible journey in postseason play."

The win marked the end of the regular season for the Pioneers. They finished the regular season with 26 wins and finished LSC play 20-2. TWU will have the No. 1 seed on the LSC Championships next week. The final bracket with game times will be released Saturday.