FORT WORTH — Texas Wesleyan University (2-0) defeated Keiser University (0-2) 62-32 on Saturday, using an 11-0 second-quarter run to build separation. Texas Wesleyan held Keiser to 23.5% shooting and finished with a 46-20 rebounding advantage.
After falling behind 5-4 at 6:02 in the first quarter, Texas Wesleyan moved back in front on
Anjewl Murrillo's two free throws and built a 15-7 lead on
Kennedy Holmes' 3-pointer with 1:30 left. Earlier,
Kameryn Phillips scored Texas Wesleyan's first two baskets on layups, and the home team held Keiser scoreless from the field until DeNiya Gary's layup at 8:08. Texas Wesleyan also created extra possessions with seven defensive rebounds and three steals, while
Jenae Moore's offensive rebound set up
Nala Richardson's 3-pointer for a 9-5 lead midway through the quarter. Keiser answered with a late basket from Amalia Vamvakitis, but Texas Wesleyan finished the quarter ahead 15-9 while shooting 5-for-10 from the floor and 2-for-4 from 3-point range.
In the second quarter, Texas Wesleyan took control with an 11-0 run after Keiser pulled within 17-11, holding Keiser scoreless from 8:39 to 3:17 while building a 28-11 advantage. Phillips started the stretch at the line,
Anjewl Murrillo added a layup and free throw,
Kennedy Holmes and
Alaina Hill scored from the floor, and
Kyla Speights capped it with a 3-pointer off an
Aniyah Sanford assist. After Keiser ended the drought, Texas Wesleyan answered with a late perimeter burst, getting a 3-pointer from Sanford fastbreak layup from Phillips and another Speights 3-pointer to reach 36-13 with 1:41 left. Texas Wesleyan outscored Keiser 21-4 in the quarter, forced seven turnovers and went into halftime ahead 36-13.
An 8-0 run from 7:47 to 4:47 helped Texas Wesleyan create separation in the third quarter, moving from a 38-17 lead to 46-17 behind a Sanford 3-pointer, a
Nala Richardson layup and a
Jenae Moore 3-pointer. Earlier, Phillips opened the quarter with a jumper off Sanford's assist, and Texas Wesleyan answered Keiser's brief scoring push by generating second chances on the offensive glass. Texas Wesleyan controlled the boards 14-4 in the quarter, including six offensive rebounds, and turned those possessions into eight second-chance points while limiting Keiser to 3-for-13 shooting.
Ma'Ryeah McCoy added two free throws and a layup late, then blocked a shot in the final minute before Phillips closed the quarter with a layup, sending Texas Wesleyan to the fourth ahead 52-24.
The fourth-quarter story centered on defense and extra possessions, as Texas Wesleyan held Keiser without a point from after the 6:38 mark until the final seconds and used a 9-0 run to move the score from 53-29 to 62-29. Earlier, after
Jada Hill opened Texas Wesleyan's scoring with a free throw, Keiser answered with baskets from Carolina de Domingo and Laurie Severe before
Ma'Ryeah McCoy started the closing stretch at the line with 6:10 left. Phillips followed her own miss for a layup, McCoy added a jumper off a Sanford assist, and Texas Wesleyan kept Keiser empty on repeated trips with defensive rebounds and blocks by McCoy and
Gina Mackey. Texas Wesleyan turned two more offensive boards into late baskets, with
Alaina Hill scoring at 1:20 and Murrillo adding a putback at 0:28. Keiser ended the drought on Savanna Nicholson's 3-pointer with 16 seconds left, but Texas Wesleyan finished off a 62-32 win.
Phillips scored 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting and added two steals. McCoy posted nine points and three blocks. Sanford recorded five assists and made two 3-pointers. Richardson collected seven rebounds and added four assists.
