DENTON, Texas – Texas Woman’s (1-2) led almost throughout, claiming a 75-58 win over Southern Arkansas (1-2) Tuesday at Kitty Magee Arena.
True freshman Calisha Kirk and Goldie White hit jumpers to give the Lady Muleriders a 4-2 lead at the start, but two free throws and a jumper from Renee Renz kick-started an 11-0 run that pushed the Pioneers on top for good. SAU battled hard throughout the first stanza, but each run Southern Arkansas made was met by the same from TWU. Trailing 13-4, the Lady Muleriders ran off seven unanswered points to pull within 13-11 at 11:50. Texas Woman’s then responded with an 8-0 spree for a 10-point margin at 9:47. Back came SAU, using an 11-2 run to cut it to one (23-22) on two free throws from Kirk at 6:45. But the Pioneers outscored their visitors 14-4 the rest of the way for a 37-26 lead at the break.
Kirk’s jumper put Southern Arkansas back to within single digits at the beginning of the second half, but TWU quickly stretched it to a 16-point margin in a two-minute span. Again, the Lady Muleriders fought back, pulling to within 52-45 on Shanaye Davis’ lay-up at 9:54, but Renz’s three-pointer at 7:52 made it a 12-point lead and SAU was never within single-digits again. Texas Woman’s eventually took their largest lead of the game, 69-49, with 4:47 remaining and coasted to the win from there.
Renz and Savannah Thompson proved a tough combo for Southern Arkansas to handle as the two combined for 40 points and 20 rebounds. Renz had a game-high 25 points and pulled down nine rebounds, while Thompson finished with 15 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double.
White led Southern Arkansas with 17 points and tossed out four assists. Kirk added 14 points, and Davis chipped in 12. Kayla Jones led the Lady Muleriders on the boards with six.
The Pioneers hit 29 of 62 shots, 46.8 percent for the game, including three of seven treys (42.9), and were 14 of 17 (82.4) at the stripe. Considering they were on the road, SAU didn’t shoot bad, hitting 23 of 55 (41.8), two of eight (25.0) from downtown, and 10 of 14 (71.4) on freebies.
Rebounds and turnovers were Southern Arkansas’ demise, getting out-boarded, 41-29, and committing 21 miscues. TWU got 16 second-chance points off rebounds, and although they finished with 18 turnovers themselves, they converted the Lady Muleriders’ 21 into 30 points.
It was the start of a long, nine-game road trip for SAU. After spending Thanksgiving in Magnolia, the team heads for Cleveland, Miss., Friday for the Delta State Margaret Wade Memorial Classic. Southern Arkansas faces Albany State (Ga.) Friday at 4 p.m., before taking on LeMoyne-Owen (Tenn.) on Saturday, also at 4 p.m. The Lady Muleriders don’t play at home again until December 28, when they get a return trip from Texas Woman’s.
