FRISCO, Texas (March 9, 2026) - The three-peat is a difficult achievement. On Sunday afternoon at Frisco's Comerica Center, Texas Woman's basketball accomplished the feat, defeating West Texas A&M 54-46 to claim their fourth overall Lone Star Conference Championship.

In Lone Star Conference history, only one other program, the Lady Buffs, had previously won three consecutive titles, accomplishing the feat twice.

No. 1 TWU (29-1, 20-0) battled through a first period that saw No. 6 WTAMU (28-4, 18-2) gain the lead three times, but remained on top of the scoreboard after regaining the lead from the final change. Despite not trailing for the rest of the game beginning late in the first period, the Lady Buffs continued to threaten, bringing the game within one basket 10 different times. A 7-0 scoring run for the Pioneers in the game's final minute would finally create distance between the teams.

The Pioneers swarmed defensively with 31 defensive rebounds, the 11th time this season they have recorded at least 30, and in three of the previous four games. TWU's defensive play against 3-pointers remains solid as well; the Lady Buffs shot 28.6% from beyond the arc, becoming the 22nd team to shoot under 30% against TWU after having shot the second-highest percentage among Pioneer opponents (40%) in their previous meeting Jan. 31.

The win is the Pioneers' fourth overall LSC title and third in a row. It is also TWU's program-leading 28th win in a row, as well as their ninth straight LSC tournament victory.

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Named the LSC Tournament MVP, Gabby Elliott led the team in scoring with 16 points and collected 17 rebounds for her 18th double-double of the season, achieving the feat in every postseason game so far as well. Thirteen of those rebounds came on the defensive end, one shy of her season-high mark.

• Averee Kleinhans tallied 15 points in the win, including a pair of 3-pointers. The senior added four rebounds, all on defense, along with one steal.

• Joining Kleinhans and Elliott on the All-Tournament Team is Jada Celsur, who tallied 13 points in the title game. Celsur added four total rebounds and three assists to the stat sheet as well.

PIONEER POWER MOMENTS

• Both teams traded baskets to tie the game at 2 with less than nine minutes remaining, foreshadowing the close game that was to come. The Lady Buffs' early lead grew to five, with the score 7-2 with 7:17 remaining, after which the Pioneers opened a 10-2 scoring run capped with an Elliott tip-in to give TWU its first lead at 12-8 with just over four minutes remaining. An Elliott jumper would regain the lead after briefly losing it again - a lead the Pioneers would keep for the remainder of the game. A pair of free throws by Julie Kasonga closed out the first period's scoring with TWU on top, 22-17.

• Both teams scored four consecutive points in the second period, the largest streak by either side in the frame. TWU struck first, responded to by WT's four-point stretch to make the game a one-basket score at 26-23 with just under six and a half minutes remaining. The teams would trade baskets after that point, with a Kleinhans 3-pointer followed by a Lady Buffs jumper to bring the score to 33-29 Pioneers at the half.

• Only 17 points were scored between the two teams in the third period, with the Lady Buffs outscoring TWU 9-8. WT brought the game to a one-point deficit at 37-36 with 6:08 to play. However, the final two of the Pioneers' four scoring plays occurred back-to-back, as a Celsur layup and a jumper by Kayla Glover pushed the lead back to five at 41-36. A Lady Buffs layup closed the scoring in the third period, with the Pioneers holding a 41-38 lead heading into the final period of regulation.

• A trading of baskets ushered in the fourth period until the Lady Buffs scored four straight points to once again bring the game within one, with the score 45-44 with 4:27 remaining. After leading by only one point on two more occasions, a layup by Celsur began TWU's longest scoring streak of the game, with a pair of free throws by Glover capping the rally at seven to secure the title-clinching 54-46 win.

POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

NEXT UP
The Pioneers continue postseason play, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament as well as earning the distinction of hosting the South Central Regional Tournament. TWU, also the first seed in the bracket, will play the eighth-seeded Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds for the third time this season Friday at Kitty Magee Arena with a 5 p.m. tipoff.