ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (March 25, 2024) – The dance continues for the Texas Woman's basketball team, as the Pioneers advance to the NCAA Division II Final Four for the first time in program history.

On Monday afternoon in the Civic Arena, TWU (33-4) dominated the Elite Eight game against Daemen (23-8), 76-44. Daemen scored the first five points of the game, and then, the Pioneers opened a 18-1 run and never looked back.

The 32-point lead tied TWU's largest margin of victory this season, as the Pioneers defeated St. Mary's on Feb. 10, 85-53.

TWU had an explosive afternoon on offense, shooting 41.7% from the field and 45.5% from the three point line. The Pioneers also went a perfect 100% from the charity stripe, shooting 16-of-16 from the free throw line. This marks the fourth time TWU has gone perfect from the free throw line (minimum 10 free throws). It also marks the first time this season the Pioneers have gone perfect from the charity stripe.

From the free throw line, Ashley Ingram led the Pioneers, as she went 12-for-12 from the charity stripe. Scout Huffman and Caroline Glud Rasmussen both went 2-for-2 from the free throw line.

Leading the Pioneers in their offensive onslaught was Huffman, who finished with 21 points on 9-of-15 from the field and 1-of-1 from the three point line. Two more Pioneers joined Huffman in double digits, as both Ashley Ingram and Leila Patel scored 16 points.

Ingram's 16 points propelled her to a new historical mark in her TWU career, as she now has eclipsed 1,500 career points at TWU.

The great offensive performance was a credit to the ball movement of the Pioneers, as they passed up a good shot for a great shot to maintain their explosive lead. TWU finished the night with 18 assists, marking the 23rd game this season the Pioneers have recorded 15 or more assists in a game. Ingram and Kleinhans led the wealth distribution for TWU – each finished with five assists.

TWU also dominated the rebound battle over the Wildcats, 43-38. Huffman and Ingram both topped the Pioneer leader board with nine rebounds each.

The energy for the Pioneers started on the defensive end and propelled the Pioneers on offense. TWU held the Wildcats to just 27.9% from the field – their second lowest field goal percentage of the season. They also forced the Wildcats to turn the ball over 19 times, and the Pioneers scored 22 points off those turnovers. TWU grabbed 11 steals in the game – their 10th game this season with 10 or more steals in a game.

Jada Celsur led the Pioneers with three steals, while Kleinhans and Huffman each grabbed two steals.

TWU also held the Wildcats' leading scorer and second highest individual average in points per game, Alahna Paige, to just 13 points in the contest, which is eight points below her 21-point average.

To start the game, TWU took two minutes to settle in. Then, at the eight minute mark, Scout Huffman opened the scoring for the Pioneers with a triple off an assist from Celsur to ignite the momentum for TWU. Then, Huffman shared the wealth with Celsur, and Celsur knocked down a triple just 30 seconds later off an assist from Huffman to give the Pioneer's their first lead of the game, 6-5.

After Celsur's triple, the Pioneers would mount a 24-5 run to take a 17-point advantage after the first quarter, 29-12. Huffman continued her impressive start to the game in the second quarter. She scored two straight baskets to open the second quarter and push the Pioneers' lead to 18 with six minutes remaining in the second quarter, 33-15.

At the 5:23 mark of the second quarter, a triple by Patel would give the Pioneers their first 20-plus point lead of the game, 36-15. Their 21-point advantage would be the largest lead for TWU of the first half. Huffman would close the half the same way she started it, hitting a jumper with four seconds left in the half to send the Pioneers into the halftime break feeling confident with the 43-22 lead.

Following the explosive first half, the Pioneers returned from the 15-minute break on a mission to continue to extend the lead and secure their first trip to the Final Four. TWU started out the third quarter with a 13-0 run in the first five minutes of action, as they found their first 30-point lead. Ingram connected on two free throws to give TWU the 30-point advantage, 54-24, with 6:22 left in the third quarter.

While TWU scored 17 points in the third quarter, they held the Wildcats to long scoring droughts and just nine points in the third, marking the 22nd quarter this season the Pioneers have held their opponent to less than 10 points in a quarter.

TWU headed into the fourth and final quarter ahead by 28, 60-31.

The fourth quarter continued to be all maroon. The Pioneers would find their largest lead of the afternoon at 34 twice. A triple by Kleinhans with 4:16 left in the game would push the Pioneers' lead to 34, 71-37. Then, a layup by Glud Rasmussen would send TWU back up by 34 with 2:39 on the clock.
Gionna Carr would put the exclamation point on the game after making a three with 28 seconds left on the clock.

In front of an exuberant crowd at the watch party in Denton and on-site in St. Joseph, the Pioneers would claim the Elite Eight victory and advance to the Final Four.

Hear from Coach Beth Jillson, Scout Huffman and Ashley Ingram after the win here. 

TWU will meet the three seed Ferris State in the Final Four on Wednesday, March 27 at 6 p.m. in the St. Joseph Civic Arena.