DENTON, Texas (March 14, 2026) - Beginning the 2026 NCAA South Central Regional Tournament on a Friday the 13th was sure to stoke plenty of superstition, but it was all good fortune for Texas Woman's basketball at Kitty Magee Arena as the top-ranked Pioneers opened the tournament with a 68-49 win over the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds.

The game started well in TWU's (30-1, 20-0) favor compared to its previous two meetings with ENMU (20-11, 15-5), with the host team out to a 16-9 lead after the opening period. After being outscored in the next two periods, the Greyhounds provided some pushback in the fourth period, but their 24-17 scoring edge was not enough to overcome TWU's 26-point lead entering the final period.

The Pioneers were efficient in their shooting, with at least 40% accuracy from the field (45.3%), beyond the arc (42.9%) and at the free throw line (70%) for the ninth time this season, and first in the postseason. Equally effective on the other side, TWU added 31 defensive rebounds as well as four blocks and eight steals. ENMU outshot the Pioneers at the charity stripe at 75%, but was allowed the fewest free throw attempts of the postseason with eight, compared to 14 attempts for TWU.

The win is TWU's seventh in a row against ENMU, and third of the season. It also marks the second postseason win against the Greyhounds all time.

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Jada Celsur led TWU in scoring with 15 points, including a trey and sinking all four free throw attempts. Celsur sank her only 3-point attempt, making this the first game in which the senior shot with 100% accuracy in at least two shooting categories. The senior added a pair of defensive rebounds and a steal as well.

• Julie Kasonga added 13 points in the win, her fifth game this season with double-digit scoring. The freshman was efficient from the field, making all six attempts for her second game with 100% accuracy (shooting 1 for 1 against UTPB on Jan. 2). The freshman added five rebounds and a pair of blocks to the stat sheet as well.

• Kayla Glover recorded 11 points in the game, shooting 50% from the field along with a trey. Glover added five rebounds and a pair of steals as well.

PIONEER POWER MOMENTS

• A Glover layup opened the game's scoring 50 seconds in, and a trading of baskets followed until six and a half minutes remained in the period, when the Pioneers opened up a 10-0 scoring run including threes by Glover and Averee Kleinhans, jumping out to a 16-5 lead with 3:40 remaining. A Greyhound layup closed the first period's scoring with 2:39 to play, with the ensuing defensive struggle keeping the 16-9 TWU lead intact.

• Both teams opened the second period with a trading of baskets, but only once as the Pioneers responded to ENMU's first basket of the period with another 10-0 scoring run to reestablish a double-digit lead at 28-11 with 3:40 to play. TWU went into the half in thrilling fashion, as a Celsur trey beat the buzzer to bring the halftime score to 36-19.

• A pair of Gabby Elliott free throws and a Kleinhans three opened the second half for TWU, improving the lead margin to 22 at 41-19 about two minutes in. ENMU inched back to within 20 off back-to-back layups, but the Pioneers finished the third period with 6-0 and 4-0 runs. The period ended with four straight free throws, finishing a frame in which eight of TWU's 15 points were scored at the charity stripe. Entering the final period of play, the Pioneers led 51-25.

• A pair of Greyhound free throws opened the fourth period, but TWU was quick to respond with a 10-2 scoring run, opening up a 32-point lead at 61-29 with just under six minutes left to play. Starting with four and a half minutes left, ENMU chewed up the ensuing two minutes with its longest point streak of the game, a 10-0 scoring run that included a trio of 3-pointers. The run, however, succeeded only in bringing the deficit down to 20 with the Pioneers still ahead 62-42. ENMU also outscored TWU 7-6 in the remaining two minutes, but TWU's performance in the first three quarters helped preserve the lead, and eventually the 68-49 win.

NEXT UP
The Pioneers are through to the second round of the South Central bracket and back in action at Kitty Magee Arena tomorrow night against the UCCS Mountain Lions for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. The Pioneers and Mountain Lions met previously in Colorado Springs on Nov. 19, with TWU coming out on top 80-69.

-PIONEERS-