PLAINVIEW, TX - Despite a season-high 18 points from Kyla Grant, the Texas Wesleyan Lady Rams (6-8, 4-2 SAC) couldn't overcome the No. 6 Wayland Baptist Flying Queens (12-2, 6-0 SAC) in a 80-53 defeat.

Grant scored the 18 on 8-of-13 shooting with three boards and a block. Her previous season high - 13 - was also on the road (Mary Hardin-Baylor). It's her sixth game this season with a block and the third-straight game she's been valuable on the floor to the tune of 20-plus minutes. She hit all four of her field goals in the second half, including three in the third and two down the stretch of that frame as the Lady Rams tried to make a push to get back in the ball game.

Early on, momentum was on the Lady Rams side - up 11-6, with 5:15 to go, off of back-to-back made three-pointers by Lexi Burns. That would end up as the largest lead for TXWES as the Flying Queens - as they often do - got hot from deep, hitting back-to-back three points in a 55-second span, part of a 14-0 run that put Wayland Baptist up nine. 

After falling behind by 23, Texas Wesleyan scored the last six points of the first half to keep spirits high, including a couple of buckets for Grant and a pair of free throws for Evie Whorley.

Five players contributed to the scoring besides Grant: Nicole Gleason had 10 and a team-high four assists, Chrystal Ngawuchu hit three buckets and chipped in a field goal for seven points and a team-high nine rebounds, Burns finished with six on those pair of threes, Whorley found six points and Lorian Benjamin contributed six points off the bench. 

Texas Wesleyan's biggest advantage was on the offensive glass, where the Lady Rams out-muscled the Flying Queens inside 13-8, leading to a 10-7 advantage in second-chance points. The Lady Rams came into the night 17th in the nation in total rebound defense (33.7 rebounds allowed per game). Wayland Baptist earned their biggest advantages in points off turnovers (23-10) and fast-break points (20-0).

The usually stingy TXWES defense (33rd in the NAIA in points allowed) allowed 80 points in regulation for the first time in the last 19 games. The Flying Queens came into the ball game with the 10th-ranked offense in the country, averaging 82 points per contest).

WHAT'S NEXT
After playing six of their last seven on the road, the Lady Rams return for the Sid Richardson Center for a four-game homestand, starting with rival Southwest Assemblies of God (2-4 in the conference) Tuesday January 8. The Rams will play four conference games during a nine-day stretch.