DENTON - Despite a late-game surge, Texas Wesleyan Women's Basketball (4-4) was unable to overcome Texas Women's University (5-3) in a 65-55 loss Saturday afternoon up Interstate 35-West.

TWU, which plays in the Lone Star Conference of NCAA DII, won their fourth straight. The contest continued the rigorous non-conference schedule for the Lady Rams - the fifth team the Rams have played from NCAA ranks of women's college basketball in non-conference play (including DII's Tarleton State, Midwestern State and Newman; DIII's Mary Hardin-Baylor) - holding all five to 70 points or less.

With 7:26 to play in the fourth, Texas Wesleyan took a one-point, 49-48 lead on Nicole Gleason's three - the Rams' first lead. TXWES tied the game at 51 and then again at 53 before TWU scored 12 of the game's final 14 points leaving the Lady Rams just short of an upset.

The defeat comes despite forcing 17 turnovers and getting 21 points off the TXWES bench including nine from Karah Sicurella, to go with her three assists and two rebounds.

Nicole Gleason had team highs in both points (18) and assists (5). Evie Whorley had a team-high three steals to complete her nine-point, six-rebound effort. Lorian Benjamin hit 3-of-4 shots in 18 minutes off the bench, totaling six points, two boards and two steals. 

The Lady Rams increased their shot production in each quarter from a frustrating 3-of-13 in the first frame to 7-of-18 shooting in the fourth but through 40 minutes never got enough chances from the charity stripe, hitting 7-of-10. TWU earned and made the same amount of shots from the line in the fourth quarter alone.

The two teams had a combined 21 offensive rebounds, but Texas Wesleyan scored on all five of their second-chance opportunities - due in large part to four offensive boards from Whorley. The Owls found a way despite hitting just one shot from downtown.

Gleason's three that gave the lead capped a two-quarter effort to erase the team's largest deficit of the game - 12 - with 7:49 to play in the second quarter.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Texas Wesleyan resumes conference play against the University of Science and Arts Thursday December 13 before returning to thw Sid Ricahrdson Center (where the Lady Rams are 3-0 this season) to face Mid-America Christian Saturday December 15.