Top-ranked Texas Woman’s stifles Eastern New Mexico, inches closer to three-peat - Lone Star Conference Skip To Main Content

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Top-ranked Texas Woman’s stifles Eastern New Mexico, inches closer to three-peat

Championship Central
 
By NICK EATMAN

FRISCO, Texas – When you’re No. 1 in the country, winners of 26 straight games and the two-time defending champions of the conference tournament, you’re going to get everyone’s best shot.

Texas Woman's got just that from Eastern New Mexico, but still found a way to grind out a 73-61 semifinal win over the No. 5 seeded Greyhounds Saturday night at Comerica Center.

The win not only extends TWU’s streak to 27 games, but puts the Pioneers back in Sunday’s LSC Tournament championship game for the third straight year with the opportunity to three-peat a title, something only West Texas A&M (twice) has accomplished in LSC history.

But to get there, TWU had to outslug the pesky Greyhounds, who needed a dramatic overtime win Friday night over Lubbock Christian to advance to the semifinal round.

And ENMU, riding an eight-game winning streak, wasn’t ready to go home, constantly bringing the fight to the Pioneers. Every time TWU would extend the lead around 10-12 points, the Greyhounds would battle back and trim it down to six or eight. But in the end, the nation’s best team found a way to prevail.

Gabby Elliott, LSC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, paced the Pioneers with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Madi Lumsden scored 15, while Averee Kleinhans had 11 and Jada Celsur just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds to go along with four steals.

For ENMU, Aaliyah Smith led all scorers with 23 points, tying her season high. Mekhila Brown came off the bench with 10 points and six boards.

The Greyhounds slip to 20-10 and will hope to land a spot in next week’s South Central Regional tournament. ENMU was ranked No. 8 in the region before the tournament began.
           
 Texas Woman’s Notes:
  • TWU is trying to become the first LSC school since West Texas A&M to win three straight LSC Tournament titles.
  • TWU has now won 10 of its last 11 LSC Championship Tournament games, including eight straight. In that winning streak, TWU’s average margin of victory has been 12.2 points. Fittingly, the Pioneers won by 12 on Saturday.
  • Gabby Elliott recorded her 17th double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 rebounds. She finished the regular season first in the LSC and 11th in the nation in double digits points and rebounds.
  • The Pioneers rank first in the LSC in three-point defense, allowing just 27.1 percent for the season. On Saturday, TWU’s defense limited ENMU to just 2-of-17 shooting beyond the arc for 11.8 percent.
  • In two games in the LSC Tournament, TWU has limited its opponents to 5-of-40 shooting from the three-point line.
Eastern New Mexico Notes:
  • The Greyhounds were hoping to make the program’s first trip to the LSC Championship Tournament finals since 1993. ENMU is now 11-26 in all-time games in the tournament.
  • ENMU has now lost seven straight games to TWU, dating back to 2020.
  • With 23 points, Aailyah Smith tied her season high. She led the team in scoring for just the sixth time and ENMU is 4-2 in those games.
  • The Greyhounds drop to 11-26 all-time in the LSC Championship Tournament.
  • The Greyhounds are now 5-7 in the 12 games this season when they scored less than 63 points.