FORT WORTH, TX - Texas Wesleyan Women's Basketball (8-3, 3-1 SAC) out-played No. 6 Wayland Baptist most of the afternoon at the Sid Richardson Center, but a 7:42 stretch of cold shooting helped flip the script in the Flying Queens favor, resulting in a 78-64 victory for WBU.

With 4:36 remaining in the third quarter, the Lady Rams led 50-46 and with good reason. Ignited by Makayla Coy - who started for the third time this season - Texas Wesleyan was playing efficient, balanced and aggressive basketball, holding the Queens' leading scorer this season, Morgan Bennett, to just three points in the first half. Coy had season highs in minutes (35), points (17), rebounds (9) and steals (2) showing how reliable she can be with future opportunities and was unstoppable for much of the matchup.

But over the next 7:42 seconds, the Lady Rams only got a free throw to fall through and by the time Hailee Walls got a ball to dance over the rim and in while being fouled, the Flying Queens had built a 64-53 advantage (18-3 run). It was a tail of two halves, TXWES outscoring WBU in the first two quarters, while getting outscored in the last two. The biggest difference came on the boards and in the paint. The Queens grabbed 14 offensive rebounds, 11 of which came in the second half and out-scored the Lady Rams in the paint in the final 20 minutes 18-8, after Texas Wesleyan owned the blue 16-6 in the first half.

Destiney Winkfield scored 16 points and was one of five players to nab two steals. Evie Whorley was once again strong defensively with nine points on the offensive end, grabbing six rebounds (all defensive). 

Despite the loss, TXWES showed it could hang with one of the best teams in the country and even out-play them for long stretches. The rematch is set for later this month on the 30th in Plainview. But the Rams can't afford to dwell on this loss too long - the No. 1-ranked team in the nation Oklahoma City is next on the schedule, on the road Thursday January 9. Texas Wesleyan is back at home Saturday January 11 at 2 p.m. against Southwestern Christian.