PITTSBURG, Kan. (Nov. 25, 2025) – With the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching, No. 8 Texas Woman's basketball has one more thing to be thankful for tonight in the form of a convincing 87-62 win against No. 2 Pittsburg State on the road.
 
Battling through an opening period which featured both teams gaining the lead three times each, TWU (5-1) gained the final change, and soon began pulling away from PSU (3-1) by the second period, earning their third win of the season with a margin of at least 25 points.
 
In dealing the Gorillas their first loss of the season, the Pioneers shot an efficient game, making at least 50% of field goals (53%), threes (55.6%) and free throws (70.6%); the first time since Jan. 25, 2025 this was accomplished. The Pioneers also held the Gorillas to their lowest amount of threes made (3), and PSU tied their season high of turnovers with 17, which TWU scored 25 points off. 
 
TWU also dominated paint scoring, connecting on 56 points in the painted area. While the Pioneers displayed lockdown defense, they took care of the ball on their side of the court, recording a season-low nine turnovers. 
 
It marked the Pioneers third time scoring 80 or more points this season. Additionally, it marked their first ranked win of the season. Dating back to the 2020-21, the Pioneers are undefeated against team ranked in the Top 10 nationally. 
 
IMPACT PLAYERS

• Jada Celsur led the Pioneers in scoring with a career high 22 points – 12 of these points coming from sinking all four three-point attempts. Celsur set four season highs in the contest, with points, three pointers made, field goal attempts (15) and field goals made (9).
• Gabby Elliott tallied 20 points in the win, while setting a season high with 18 field goal attempts. She shot 50% from the field, marking her fifth game this season shooting at least 50% from the field. The senior added eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal as well.
• Within a season high 36 minutes, Averee Kleinhans tallied her first double-double of the season, and she tied season highs with 19 points and seven assists, and set new season highs with eight field goals made and 10 rebounds. Kleinhans also shot 50% from the field in the win and went a perfect 100% from the charity stripe. Kleinhans also officially eclipsed 1,000 career points on the night. 
• Madi Lumsden was the second Pioneer to record more than 30 minutes on the court (33), and the fourth in double-digits, scoring 12 points in the contest. Lumsden made four field goal attempts, sank her only three attempt and went three-for-six at the free throw line.
• Jordyn Hernandez went perfect from the field and the free throw line in her 15 minutes of action, going 1-for-1 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line for six points. 

 
PIONEER POWER MOMENTS

• The Pioneers took advantage of PSU's season-high 17 turnovers in the game, setting a new season high with 25 points off turnovers. TWU is now 5-0 when leading in this category.
• The first half of the opening period was quite the back-and-forth affair, featuring four lead changes. A free throw gave PSU the opening lead at 1-0, but after a scoreless ensuing minute, a Kleinhans jumper gave TWU their first lead at 2-1. The Gorillas would regain the lead two more times, but a three by Celsur put the Pioneers back on top for good at 8-5 with 6:08 remaining. A layup by Kayla Glover in the final second would end the quarter for the Pioneers, giving them a six-point lead, 22-16, heading into the second quarter of action. 
• The second period began much like the first, with both teams trading baskets. The Pioneers gained their first double-digit lead with 7:02 remaining, as a layup by Elliott put TWU up 34-23. With 1:09 on the clock, Kleinhans connected on a layup to increase the lead to 18, 46-28, giving her eight points on the night and giving her 1,000 career points. 
• Later in the period, with just under a minute remaining, Lumsden's only three of the game gave the Pioneers a 49-28 lead, the first 20-point margin of the contest. In the second quarter, TWU held the Gorillas scoreless for multiple spans of two minutes, which aided in their 20-point advantage. After a successful and-one by Kleinhans, the Pioneers headed into halftime up 22 over the No. 2 team in the nation. 
• TWU kept their scoring rolling in the third quarter, recording their third straight quarter of 20 or more points. The Pioneers would find their largest lead of the game so far with 1:04 remaining in the third quarter off a layup by Elliott to increase the advantage to 28, 73-45. 
• Heading into the fourth quarter, TWU led by 26, 73-47. The Pioneers found their largest lead of the night at 32, 79-47, off a layup by Glover with 7:10 remaining in the game. After that mark, the Gorillas ran through one of their longer scoring rallies in the game, going on a 10-0 run in the fourth period. However, the run only accomplished bringing the Pioneer lead down to 20 at 79-59 with 4:11 to go in the game. TWU responded by rattling off six straight points to regain a 26-point lead at 85-59 with 2:29 remaining. Two free throws by Kleinhans in the final minute would be the final scoring of the night for TWU, as the Pioneers won 87-62.  

 
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH BETH JILLSON
 
"I am so proud of our group tonight and the way they battled on the road. Throughout the entire 40 minutes, they stayed focused on our game plan with excellent ball movement and a connected defensive effort, both of which are crucial to winning games on the road. Everyone stepped up tonight, as we had a balance scoring attack. It was also exciting to celebrate a career high for Jada, and a career night for Averee in the big win."
 
NEXT UP
 
The Pioneers enter the month of December for their second game of their three-game road trip, returning to the Lone Star State to take on Texas A&M-Kingsville in Kingsville, Texas on Dec. 4 for a 5:30 p.m. tip off, as the Pioneers officially open conference action.