MCPHERSON, KS - Texas Wesleyan Women's Basketball (14-10, 9-8 SAC) snapped a mini slump Thursday night at Central Christian with an altered look and a dominant performance in the paint, to the tune of a 94-69 triumph over the Tigers (7-18, 3-14 SAC).
Makayla Coy got the start with
Jordan Brightwell and
Chrystal Ngawuchu as the Lady Rams went bigger inside. That helped TXWES grab a 14-rebound edge on the glass and shoot 32-of-55 from inside the three-point line (58 percent) led by Coy's 13 points and 13 rebounds, her second double-double on the road this season.
When Coy and the rest of the bigs weren't owning the paint - the Rams outscored the Tigers 48-24 -
Nicole Gleason was slaying. She scored 26 points in 32 minutes on 10-of-15 shooting, hitting five more threes and all of her shots inside the arc - she also grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists.
Destiney Winkfield added 14 points in 20 minutes off the bench on 7-of-12 shooting, showing her versatility.
TXWES out-scored Central Christian 24-9 in the second quarter to pull ahead - the Tigers have dropped six in a row to Texas Wesleyan. The second frame continues to be the strongest for women's basketball, outscoring opponents 469-396 just before the break. The last time the Lady Rams went to McPherson, they dropped 101 on CCC. In the last four meetings, TXWESÂ has out-scored the Tigers 337-244.
The third frame, after a lead was built, was where the Rams really shined. TXWES hit 11-of-15 from the floor in those 10 minutes, 73.3 percent, scoring 27 points. Brightwell had six of her eight points in a span of 93 seconds during the offensive jolt.
After sinking to a low of 50 points against Oklahoma City, the Lady Rams have improved on offense in four consecutive outings. The 14th win of the season matches the 2018-19 campaign and with a win on Saturday, the program can increase its wins for the second-straight campaign. If TXWES can finish above .500 in conference, it would be the third such accomplishment in the last four years.
Texas Wesleyan will visit Langston Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. hoping to extend a six-game winning streak against the Lions to seven. The last time the two played it was at a frantic pace - the Rams took 72 shots, one off a season high, while Langston hoisted 74. The two teams combined for 30 offensive rebounds (77 rebounds total) and 37 turnovers (Langston had 22).
