DENTON, Texas (Jan. 9, 2025) – While it was a winter wonderland outside, it was a winning wonderland inside Kitty Magee Arena today, as the Texas Woman's basketball team defeated St. Mary's 49-40.

TWU (14-1, 7-1) held StMU (7-6, 3-4) to their lowest point total of the season in a low-scoring win on Thursday.

It marked the Pioneers' eighth win in a row and their seventh time holding a team to under 50 points in a game.

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Ashley Ingram led the way for TWU with 22 points. She posted a strong stat line with adding nine rebounds, four assists and four steals. The four steals marked a season high for the senior. Ingram was also a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line in the win.
• The only other Pioneer to score in double digits was Scout Huffman, who added 11 points on the day. She also posted a strong stat line with five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Huffman shot 50% from the field in the win. On the season, Huffman is averaging 55.9% from the field, which ranks first in the LSC.
• Leila Patel was strong on the boards in the win, grabbing six total rebounds. She also shared the wealth and dished out three assists.

PIONEER POWER MOMENTS

• While the Pioneers' offense did not find a strong rhythm in the game, their defense brought the heat. TWU forced the Rattlers to turn the ball over 21 times for 28 Pioneers' points.
• TWU won the paint battle, scoring 30 paint points to StMU's 24.
• The Pioneers shared the wealth in the win, recording 15 assists – it marked the 10th game this season for TWU with 15 or more assists.
• In the first quarter, TWU held the Rattlers to just nine points, marking the 12th time the Pioneers have held their opponent under 10 points in a quarter.
• The Pioneers took a bit to warm up on the snowy Denton day. Gabby Elliott scored a bucket in the final seconds of the first quarter to give TWU the slight edge headed into the second, 9-8.
• TWU found their shot in the second quarter, as they totaled 15 points in the quarter alone.
• Jada Celsur quickly got the scoring going with a quarter opening three to push the Pioneers back up by four, 12-8.
• A layup by Caroline Glud Rasmussen off a fast break after a StMU turnover would give TWU their largest lead of the quarter at eight, 16-8, with 8:20 remaining in the half.
• After a three minute scoring drought for both sides, TWU would answer a StMU bucket to push back ahead by eight as Glud Rasmussen dished an assist to Ingram.
• TWU would find the heat from downtown late in the second and close the quarter with back-to-back triples from Ariyanna Hines and Ingram, as the Pioneers entered halftime with a six-point advantage, 24-18.
• The third quarter was similar to the first with low-scoring, back-and-forth play.
• The Pioneers locked down on defense in the third and held the Rattlers scoreless for four minutes of action.
• Ingram had the final word of the third quarter, after translating a steal on defense into two points on offense. TWU would head into the final quarter of action ahead by four, 32-28.
• The Pioneers would score their most points of any quarter in the fourth, 17, as they closed the game strong.
• At the 4:31 mark, a triple by Huffman off the assist by Ingram would give TWU their largest lead to that point at nine, 45-36.
• TWU found their first double-digit lead with 1:12 remaining, after Huffman found a cutting Kayla Glover for the easy bucket to put TWU ahead by 10, 47-37.
• Once again, Ingram had the final say as she connected on a strong layup for TWU, 49-40. Patel sealed the win with a block on the other end.

NEXT UP

TWU will be back at home on Saturday, Jan. 11 for a 2 p.m. meeting with St. Edward's in Kitty Magee Arena.