DENTON, Texas (Nov. 9, 2026) – The No. 6 Texas Woman's basketball team opened its home schedule with a 69-51 victory over Nova Southeastern on Monday night inside Kitty Magee Arena.
The Pioneers (3-0) remained undefeated on the season after building a 19-point halftime advantage over the Sharks (0-1).
Avery McConnell led the Pioneers with a game and career high 25 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field.
She also went a perfect 1-of-1 from beyond the arc and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
McConnell also added three rebounds, two assists, and one block.
Summer Sodek recorded her first career double-double with 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Sodek shot 7-of-12 from the field and added five assists, two blocks and one steal.
Madi Lumsden finished with eight points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Julie Kasonga added seven points, six rebounds, and two steals.
Alexis Rynders added nine rebounds off the bench.
The Pioneers shot 47.3% from the field, connecting on 26-of-55 attempts.
Defensively, TWU held Nova Southeastern to just 27.6% shooting.
TWU also shot 87.5% from the free-throw line, converting 14-of-16 attempts.
TWU outrebounded the Sharks 42-32 and held a 36-16 advantage in points in the paint.
The Pioneers also scored 19 fast-break points and 19 points off turnovers.
PRIME PERFORMERS
- McConnell led all scorers with 25 points on 83.3% shooting from the field. She also finished a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
- Sodek recorded her first career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. She also led the Pioneers with five assists and added two blocks.
- Kasonga contributed seven points, six rebounds, and two steals.
- Rynders grabbed nine rebounds, including eight defensive boards, in 23 minutes off the bench.
- The Pioneers held Nova Southeastern to 16-of-58 shooting from the field and limited the Sharks to just 21 first-half points.
KEY MOMENTS
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First Quarter: The Pioneers established an early advantage with an efficient offensive performance, shooting 66.7% from the field. TWU's defense limited Nova Southeastern to just two made field goals on 15 attempts, helping the Pioneers build a 19-9 lead after the opening 10 minutes.
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Second Quarter: TWU continued to extend its lead, outscoring the Sharks 21-12 in the period. The Pioneers connected on all eight free-throw attempts while holding Nova Southeastern to 26.7% shooting from the field. TWU entered halftime with a commanding 40-21 advantage.
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Third Quarter: The Pioneers maintained their offensive rhythm, connecting on eight field goals while shooting 50% in the period. Nova Southeastern matched TWU with 17 points, but the Pioneers preserved their 19-point advantage to enter the final quarter ahead 57-38.
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Fourth Quarter: TWU's defense continued to frustrate the Sharks, limiting them to 25% shooting from the field in the final period. The Pioneers added 12 points and secured the 69-51 victory to improve to 3-0 on the season.
UP NEXT
The Pioneers will remain at home to face Colorado School of Mines on Friday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. inside Kitty Magee Arena.
-PIONEERS-
