WAXAHACHIE, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University women's basketball team (3-0) won an 86-70 shootout over Oklahoma Wesleyan University (2-2) in the final day of the SAGU Classic Tournament at the Schaefer Center on Saturday.
 
Oklahoma Wesleyan jumped all over the Lady Rams to start the game, jumping out to an 11-2 lead capped by a Shelbie Kirby jumper three minutes in. An Onyesonam Nolisa triple cut the score to 13-7, but the Eagles kept shooting long range shots, making them more often than not and a three pointer at the end of the first quarter made it a 25-16 deficit for Wesleyan.
 
The second quarter was not different as the Eagles continued to shoot the lights out from behind the arc. Katelynn Threats knocked down a two pointer to make it 30-23, but Oklahoma Wesleyan ran right down the court and got a three ball from Kayla Morgan to make it a 10-point game at 33-23. Texas Wesleyan kept working though, and Threats dashed into the lane for two and drew a foul for a three-point play to cut the Eagle lead in half at 36-31 with five minutes left in the half. The Rams could not make up any more ground, but kept the game within reach at 43-37 heading into halftime.
 
The Lady Rams opened the third quarter with an 11-0 rally capped by a Leila Jdily-Ezzad two-pointer to gain a 48-43 lead just three minutes in the quarter. The Eagles responded with a triple by Courtney Robinson, but missed there next four attempts to open the door for the Rams to build an 11-point, 57-46 lead on a Threats field goal. The Eagles just could not hit from beyond the arc, as the Lady Rams halftime adjustments worked to a tee, taking a 64-52 lead into the final frame.
 
Oklahoma Wesleyan had no answer for the Lady Rams perimeter defense and Texas Wesleyan coasted to victory holding a double digit lead for most of the fourth quarter.
 
"Oklahoma Wesleyan is the best three-point shooting team we have ever played," commented head coach Bill Franey after the win, "It took a lot of halftime adjustments and team defense to put this one in the win column. The girls really pulled together to make this one happen."
 
The Eagles posted 62 percent from behind the line in the first half, but only hit on 21 percent in the second half, which was really the telling story in the win for TWU. For the game the Rams shot 47 percent from the field, while the Eagles shot 40 percent.
 
Threats continued her dominance with another double-double performance with 24 points and 15 boards. Nolisa knocked down 25 points going 7-10 from the field to go along with nine rebounds and five assists. Jdily-Ezzad posted 13 points and seven assists in the win.
 
The Lady Rams will get some valuable experience in an exhibition game against NCAA Division I opponent Texas Christian University tomorrow starting at 2:00 pm at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.