FRISCO, Texas (March 8, 2024) – Resilience has been a standing foundational characteristic of the Texas Woman's basketball team, and the Pioneers resiliency guided them to the Lone Star Conference Championships Quarterfinal win on Friday night.

TWU (27-4) defeated UAFS (11-18), 61-50, to advance to the LSC Championships Semifinal for the seventh time in program history. The Pioneers also claimed their 27th win of the season, breaking their former record for most wins of the season, which they set last season with 26 wins.

The Pioneers showcased their resilience down the stretch of the 40 minutes of action, as they battled back from an early deficit to close with the 11-point victory over the Lions.

Playing big minutes for TWU tonight in the win was Averee Kleinhans, who ignited TWU's momentum on defense and offense. Kleinhans led all scorers in tonight's contest with 21 points, which matched her career high from this season. To her 21 points, Kleinhans added four steals, two assists and seven rebounds. Leila Patel and Jada Celsur both finished with nine points, while Ashley Ingram added eight in the win.

On the boards, TWU finished with 34 rebounds. Kleinhans topped the Pioneers' leader board with seven, while Ingram, Celsur and Scout Huffman all grabbed six boards.

While the Pioneers struggled to settle into a rhythm on offense tonight, they excelled at finding a way, persevering down the stretch and keeping their heads in the game. When TWU could not get a shot on offense, they drove and got to the free throw line, which proved to be a difference maker in the second half.

Across the 40 minutes of action, TWU drew 24 fouls and went to the free throw line 25 times – shooting 76% from the charity stripe.  

On the defensive side of the ball, the Pioneers grabbed nine steals and forced the Lions to commit 20 turnovers, and TWU scored 19 points off those 20 turnovers. It marked the 10th time this season the Pioneers have forced their opponent to turn the ball over 20 or more times. Kleinhans led with four steals, and Patel matched her career high with three steals.

TWU committed 16 turnovers, but the Pioneers did a great job of getting back on defense after the turnovers, as UAFS only scored seven points off TWU's turnovers.

In the first quarter, the Pioneers battled scoring droughts but stayed connected. Huffman hit a baseline jumper with two minutes remaining in the quarter to give TWU their largest lead since the start at three points, 13-10. After back-to-back baskets by the Lions to close the quarter, TWU went into the second quarter trailing by one, 14-13.

The Lions pushed the lead to as much as eight in the second quarter, as the Pioneers opened the second with a 3:30 scoring drought. Ingram brought some offensive energy to the Pioneers by getting to the free throw line and knocking both down to cut the deficit to six, 21-15, with 6:24 on the clock. 

Over the next two minutes, TWU went on an 8-2 run – all eight which were made from the charity stripe – to tie the game at 21. Patel connected on a triple with 2:37 on the clock to give the Pioneers their first lead of the second quarter, 24-23.

The two teams went back-and-forth to close the half, but Gionna Carr had the final say of the half with a made free throw to send TWU into the halftime break trailing by two, 29-27.

TWU came out of the halftime break with renewed energy. Propelled by the sea of maroon at the Comerica Center, the Pioneers locked down on offense and defense to reclaim the lead.

A jumper by Caroline Glud Rasmussen would put TWU ahead by one with 9:16 on the clock in the third quarter, 30-29. After Glud Rasmussen's basket, the Pioneers kept their foot on the gas and never looked back – they would never trail in the remaining 20 minutes of action.

The third quarter proved to be the difference maker in the game, as TWU outscored the Lions 22-8. It marked the 19th quarter this season the Pioneers have held an opponent to less than 10 points in a quarter.

The Pioneers found their largest lead of the night at 16 points at the 3:21 mark of the third off a made free throw by Celsur.

Ariyanna Hines closed the third quarter with a made free throw to send TWU into the final quarter ahead by 12, 49-37.

In the fourth and final quarter of action, the Pioneers would maintain their double-digit lead for the rest of the game. Kleinhans would put the exclamation point on the win with a made triple to excite the Pioneer faithful with 1:49 left on the clock and extend the lead to 13, 59-46.

Then, Huffman would wrap-up the win nicely with a made layup to seal the 11-point victory, 61-50.

TWU will advance to tomorrow's semifinal game at 6 p.m. They will meet fourth seed, Texas A&M International on Saturday, after the Dustdevils defeated Lubbock Christian in triple overtime on Friday night in the quarterfinal round.

Averee Kleinhans, Ashley Ingram and Coach Beth Jillson shared their thoughts on the Pioneers' win here.