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Women's Basketball

No. 1 TWU claims third straight LSC tournament crown

Championship Central
 
By NICK EATMAN
 
FRISCO, Texas – Texas Woman's is all about the streak.

Not only did they win a 28th straight game this season and a ninth straight game in the LSC Championship Tournament, but more importantly, TWU claimed a third straight conference tournament title. The No. 1-ranked Pioneers outlasted No. 2 seed West Texas A&M 54-46 Sunday afternoon at Comerica Center.

TWU cruises into next week’s South Central Regional tournament, which is expected to be played in Denton. But the Lady Buffs, who dropped to 28-4, have a shot to be the No. 2 seed and could see a rematch with the Pioneers next week.

But to beat TWU, any team must figure out a way to stop Gabby Elliott, something no team did all year. The LSC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year added another award to the list on Sunday, winning LSC Tournament Most Valuable Player for her three-day performance for the Pioneers. Elliott had 16 points and 17 rebounds on Sunday and a consistent stat line for the entire weekend, where she averaged 16.6 points and 14.6 rebound in the three wins.

Elliott was joined by teammates Averee Kleinhans and Jada Celsur on the All-Tournament team, along with West Texas A&M’s Randi Harding and Karley Motschenbacher.

TWU led for the majority of the game, including all of the second half, but the Lady Buffs wouldn’t go away, keeping the game within one or two possessions. With 3:38 to play, Harding hit a short jumper to pull WT to within 47-46. But the Lady Buffs would not score again and TWU had a layup from Celsur and then five made free throws down the stretch to preserve the win.

The Lady Buffs were led by Harding, who had 18 points. WT played without Taylor Haggan, who was on crutches at the end of the bench Sunday with an apparent knee injury.
 
Texas Woman's Notes:
  • TWU became the first LSC school since West Texas A&M to win three straight conference tournament titles. The Lady Buffs won it from 2008-10 and also from 1988-91.
  • The Pioneers now have the fourth-most LSC Championship Tournament titles with four, including a 2011 title in Bartlesville, Okla., and now the last three in Frisco.
  • Gabby Elliott recorded her 18th double-double of the season with 16 points and 17 rebounds. She finished the regular season first in the LSC and 11th in the nation and added three more this weekend.
  • While Elliott was MVP of the tournament, both Celsur and Kleinhans made the team for the second time. Celsur was on the all-tournament team in 2024 and Kleinhans was the MVP of that tourney.
  • The best three-point defensive team in the LSC, TWU held the Lady Buffs to just 4-of-14. Overall, TWU held opponents to 9-of-54 from three-point land.
West Texas A&M Notes:
  • The Lady Buffs missed a chance for a 17th LSC Championship Tournament title. But with 16 wins, it’s nearly double the amount of combined titles by active LSC members (nine).
  • The Lady Buffs ranked first in the LSC in three-point makes this year with 7.6 per game. But for the three-day total, only made 14 total.
  • Karley Motschenbacher made the All-Tournament team four years after winning MVP honors for the 2022 tournament.
  • Taylor Haggan had 17 and 15 points in the first two games of the tournament, but didn’t play Sunday because of a knee injury.