HOUSTON, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University women's basketball team (4-2) dropped a 73-63 contest to the University of St. Thomas-Houston (2-3) on Sunday.
 
The second best rebounding team in the nation continued to dominate the boards, but could not control the perimeter. The Celts went 8-19 from downtown and that seemed to be the difference in the game.
 
St. Thomas got off to a good start, taking a 10-4 start assisted by a pair of three-pointers. The shot kept coming, but the Lady Rams kept close tabs. Katelynn Threats and Bailey Broadnax each hit jumpers to close the opening quarter in a 21-14 hole.
 
Texas Wesleyan took full advantage of a cold start offensively by the Celts and grabbed a 22-21 lead after a Falesha Fuller jump shot in the paint capped an 8-0 rally. Fuller would hit another jumper to make it 24-23 with five minutes left, but the Celts posted a 14-0 run to gain an 11-point advantage with under a minute to go in the half. Ashlie Bruner responded with a three ball to make it a 37-29 game at the break.
 
Bruner knocked down a shot in the paint to cut the lead to seven to start the second half, but again the Celts pushed the lead back out to 50-37 with four and a half minutes left in the quarter. Wesleyan would carve into the lead to trial 56-48 heading into the final quarter.
 
The Lady Rams continued to shorten the Celt advantage into the fourth. TXWES went on a 6-0 run capped by a Bruner two-pointer to make it a 58-54 game with 5:24 remaining in the game. That would be the closest the Rams would get, as St. Thomas took the 73-63 win.
 
Fuller led the Rams with 20 points. The conference leader in the double-doubles added another with a 12 point, 12 rebound effort. Bruner tacked on 14 points, eight boards, and six assists in the game. Broadnax finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Lady Rams will meet with Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City on Thursday, December 1 in the conference opener. That contest set for a 6:00 pm start.