PLAINVIEW, TX: The Texas Wesleyan University women's basketball team (11-6, 4-3 SAC) dropped a 70-65 conference game to No. 19 Wayland Baptist University (15-2, 6-1 SAC) at the Hutcherson Center on Thursday.
 
Wayland Baptist averaged three three-pointers per quarter to stay slightly ahead of the Rams the entire contest despite turning the ball over 20 times.
 
The No. 19 Flying Queens took control in the first quarter, darting out to a 15-4 advantage. Ashlie Bruner tossed the rock to Falesha Fuller for a fast break layup and got the foul. Fuller completed the three point play to cut the lead to 19-11 to end the first.
 
Lorian Benjamin hit her second jumper of the game to make it a 21-15 Wayland edge to the start the second period. The Flying Queens maintained a healthy lead throughout the quarter, making it hard for the Lady Rams to sustain any rally. Bailey Broadnax floated in a jumper, but Gabby Gonzalez answered with a three ball for WBU to keep an 11-point advantage. It was tough sledding for the Rams as the Wayland played stout defense despite patience and good passing by Texas Wesleyan. The Rams went into the locker room in a 38-23 hole at the break.
 
It was much of the same to start the second half as Wayland managed their 10-point cushion well, pelting the hoop with shots from behind the arc. Wayland Baptist hit three shots from downtown to take 44-29 lead with 7:22 remaining. Alycia Louallen fired back with a triple but again the Flying Queens found another answer and ended the quarter with a 53-41 lead.
 
The Lady Rams finally softened the WBU defense in the fourth quarter and cut the lead down to 53-49 after an 8-0 rally capped by a Broadnax lay-in with eight minutes to go. Two more triples by the Flying Queens vaulted their lead back to nine points midway through. Lorian Benjamin found Bruner who put in a splash from long range to make it a 65-58 deficit with 1:36 remaining in the game. Benjamin found her way through the lane to cut the lead to five, but had to foul to preserve the clock with under a minute left in the contest. Bruner poured in a three-pointer with seconds left, but the Lady Rams ran out of time and dropped a tough road game, 70-65.
 
Texas Wesleyan outscored their opponent 46-18 in points in the paint and 12-0 in the fast break category. WBU shot 39 percent from the field for the game, while TXWES shot 38 percent.
 
Broadnax led the Rams with 16 points, adding seven rebounds. Katelynn Threats posted 10 points and nine boards. Bruner notched 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals in the game. Fuller had 13 points, five boards, and five steals for the Lady Rams.
 
The Lady Rams will look to rebound in a meeting with Oklahoma City University on Saturday, January 21. That game scheduled for a 3:00 pm start at the Sid Richardson Center.