ORANGE, Calif. – A career-high 22 points from senior Maddison Wild sparked the No. 3-ranked West Texas A&M women's basketball to a 65-57 victory over Augustana University (S.D.) in the final game of the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association Tipoff Classic Sunday evening.  With the win, WT went 2-1 in the tournament, while Augustana fell to 1-2. 

Wild went 7 of 10 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line with ten rebounds, including nine huge defensive boards for her first double-double of the season.  Her previous best of 19 points came on New Year's Eve against Cameron (12/31/15).  Senior Sasha Watson added 13 points and freshman Lexy Hightower added 13 points off the bench as the Lady Buffs shot a season-best 23 of 53 from the field for 43.4 percent.  WT was 4 of 14 from beyond the arc and 15 of 22 from the line.  WT dominated the glass (42-32) and led 21-11 in second chance points, but 24 miscues by the Lady Buffs led to a 21-5 lead in favor of Augustana on points off turnovers. 

Augustana had two players in double figures led by the O'Farrell sisters as Logan had 14 points and Presley added 11 off the bench.  AU shot 22 of 62 for 35.5 percent and was 4 of 18 from beyond the arc, while going 9 of 17 from the line. 

Leading 60-55 with 43 seconds left, the Lady Buffs called a timeout with the ball.  Out of the timeout, Lynsey Prosser fouled with 32 seconds left as Hightower made one free throw and O'Farrell added a bucket at the other end for a 61-57 lead with 25 seconds remaining. 

Watson scored two free throws for a 63-57 lead with 19 seconds left.  AU called a timeout and advanced the ball to midcourt courtesy of the timeout.  Senior Alie Decker hit two free throws with five seconds left for the final margin.

The Lady Buffs return home to play an exhibition game next Saturday at 3 p.m. at the First United Bank Center against Wayland Baptist and then will open the 2016-17 home slate Friday, Nov. 18 at 5:30 p.m. against St. Edward's at the First United Bank Center.

Both teams played to an 11-11 tie in the first as the teams started hot with an opening triple from AU's Shelby Selland, but WT responded scoring 11 of the next 16 points to pull even.  In the second quarter, triples from Watson and Hightower gave WT a 19-17 lead with six minutes left the half. 

AU's Presley O'Farrell hit a triple with 4:16 left in the half putting Augustana up 22-20, but sophomore Reagan Haynes answered at the other end tying the game at 22 with four minutes left in the half.  Augie regained the lead with 1 of 2 free throws for a 23-22 lead, but turnovers continued to plague the Lady Buffs with seven far in the game.  Wild scored inside giving WT the lead back at 24-23 with 2:19 left for the seventh lead change in the game.  She then hit a jumper for her fifth point and a 26-23 lead. 

WT led 29-25 at half and shot 12 of 31 from the field for 38.7 percent and was 3 of 8 from beyond the arc.  Following two great games at the line, WT as just 2 of 5 from the charity stripe (35 of 39 first two games), while outrebounding the Vikings 19-18. The game had five ties and seven lead changes through the first 20 minutes.  Both teams had seven turnovers and WT led 11-3 in second chance points.  Wild led the way with eight points on 3 of 6 from the field and 2 of 3 from the line with a pair of rebounds. 

Augustana was 9 of 27 from the field for 33 percent and was 2 of 5 from beyond the arc to go along with 5 of 8 from the line.  The O'Farrell sisters combined for 13 points as Presley had seven and Logan had six to lead the team as they combined for 6 of 13 from the field. 

Watson stretched the lead to six at 31-25 early in the second half courtesy of her own offensive rebound.  Sydney Pome had the answer at the other end for Augustana.  Watson then scored her seventh point of the game as she began to heat up with 8:19 left in the third and a 33-27 lead.

Logan O'Farrell picked up a technical foul with 6:59 left in the third as senior Alie Decker scored two free throws for a 35-27 lead and the largest for WT in the game.  Wild added two free throws for a 37-27 lead and extended the run to 6-0.  Allie Koehn answered with a triple at the other end pulling Augie within 37-30. 

A hoop by Watson pushed the lead to nine with six minutes left in the third as she scored her ninth point of the game, missing the "and one".  Koehn cut the deficit back to seven at 39-32 with 4:56 left in the third period following a turnover by WT.  Junior Madison Parker hit a jumper and then stole the pass for a 41-32 lead with 3:46 left in the third.  Both teams really struggled at the line to that point as WT was 6 of 12 and AU was 5 of 10.

AU's Naomi Rust hit a triple pulling the Vikings within 43-38 after a bucket for Decker was waived off for an offensive foul on her which would have pushed the WT lead back to nine.  Rust committed her third foul as fouls began to mount for both teams.  Wild buried both free throws for a 45-38 lead with 24 seconds left in the third.

This is the first time WT has had the lead heading into the final quarter of the season as it trailed Cal Baptist yesterday and was tied with University of Mary on Friday.  Decker picked up her fourth foul early in the fourth as she had her pocket picked following a missed triple from AU.  WT committed two quick fouls in the first 40 seconds of the quarter and Prosser scored for a 45-40 WT lead.

Sydney Rome hit a triple after a WT miscue pulling AU within 49-45 for the closest it has been since WT led 31-27 early in the third and a timeout by the Lady Buffs with 5:52 left.  Hightower answered with a big triple pushing the lead back to seven at 52-45 out of the timeout. 

Logan O'Farrell hit two free throws with 5:27 left and committed her third foul at the other end.  Wild scored her 16^th point on a jumper again pushing the lead back to seven at 54-47.  Wild continued her strong play with a bucket, but Rust answered with a bucket for a 56-49 WT lead with four minutes left.  Wild tallied her ninth rebound and 20^th point for a 58-49 lead with 3:24 left.  Selland answered cutting the lead back to seven with 3:04 left and a timeout by Augustana.

Wild picked up her tenth rebound and first double-double of the season with 1:47 left and WT up 58-53 as AU had chances to cut the deficit but the shots wouldn't fall.  Wild made two free throws pushing the lead back to seven at 60-53 with 1:45 left.