Box Score

Season Stats

CANYON , Texas  - A costly turnover by upset-minded Texas Woman's in the closing seconds helped propel No. 7/10 West Texas A&M to a 73-69 victory over the Pioneers Saturday afternoon at the First United Bank Center.  With the win, WT improved to 22-2 on the year and 11-2 in Lone Star Conference play, while TWU fell to 18-7 and 6-5 in league play
 
West Texas A&M leading scorer, senior Michaela Neuhaus got the crucial steal and scored two free throws with four seconds remaining to lift the Lady Buffs to the win.  Neuhaus paced the Lady Buffs with a game-high 18 points on 6 of 13 from the field and 4 of 8 from beyond the arc.  Junior Alie Decker scored 12 points on 4 of 7 from the field and two triples with two free throws. 
 
The Lady Buffs shot 48.8 percent for the game on 20 of 41.  They were 8 of 16 from beyond the arc and 25 of 36 from the line.  WT was outrebounded by a season-high nine rebounds, but tallied 14 steals in the game leading to 22 Pioneer miscues.  WT opened the game shooting 54.5 percent for the first half on 12 of 22, but the fourth-best field goal defense team (.331) in the country held WT to 8 of 19 (.421) in the second half as the Pioneers climbed back into the game, outscoring WT 45-36 in the second half. 
 
TWU shot 42.3 percent for the game and 58.3 percent in the second half on 14 of 24 field goals in the final stanza.  For the game, the Pioneers shot 22 of 52 and 8 of 14 from beyond the arc.  TWU was 17 of 18 from the line and tallied 34 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive end.  Kenesha Saygo led the way with 17 points on 6 of 12 from the field with three triples.  Emily Spector had 15 points off the bench on 5 of 6 from the field and 4 of 4 from the line.  Erin Maxwell had 11 points, but didn't record a block in the game as she entered the contest leading the conference in blocked shots and fifth nationally at 3.00 per game.
 
WT jumped out to a 9-2 lead on layup from junior Sasha Watson with 7:09 left in the first quarter.  Dani Westerfield cut the WT lead to 14-8 with a jumper in the paint, but five straight points by the Lady Buffs swelled the lead to 19-8 lead with 1:45 left in the quarter.
 
In the second stanza, the Pioneers cut the deficit to two points on two occasions late in the quarter, but WT responded with an 11-0 run to end the half.  Out of a timeout by WT with three seconds left, Neuhaus buried a triple at the buzzer for a 37-24 lead.
 
A 12-0 run by the Pioneers tied the game at 47 with 2:01 left in the third quarter.  Two free throws from senior Zantaya Davis ended the run, but TWU tied the game once again on a pair of Westerfield tosses and Spector tied the game on a layup with 47 seconds left at 51-51. 
 
Spector gave TWU its first lead of the game with a hoop-and-harm at 54-51 with 8:36 left in the fourth.  Senior Madison McLain buried a triple to tie and the Lady Buffs went up four capped with a Decker layup at 58-54 with 7:24 left. 
 
TWU roared back with a 5-0 run, but Davis was fouled inside as she made two free throws for a 60-59 lead with 5:22 remaining.  Spector buried a triple on the ensuing possession, but the old fashion, three-point play for Davis tied the game at 65 with 3:46 left. 
 
Saygo buried a jumper with 41 seconds left tying the game at 69.  Watson made two free throws with 18 seconds left prior to the turnover and steal for Neuhaus.
 
The Lady Buffs will close out the 2015-16 regular season home slate Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. against Texas A&M-Commerce at the First United Bank Center.  It will be Senior Night and Pink Out Night for the Lady Buffs.