CANYON, Texas — The 2026-27 Mulerider Women's Basketball season is officially underway, and the Blue and Gold got the campaign started against one of the nation's top-25 groups in the 20th-ranked West Texas A&M Lady Buffs. Despite a spectacular performance by sophomore guard, Hope Bump, the Lady Buffs managed to just narrowly outlast the Muleriders with a seven-point differential, with a final score of 61-54.
Bump's showing ended up being the most impressive amongst both units, as the Sand Springs, Oklahoma native led the game in points with 28, tying her career-best. Interestingly, her career high in points that she tied came in the Muleriders' season opener from a year ago. From the floor, the sophomore was 11-23 and shot 6-15 from beyond the three-point line. Bump also recorded her first career double-double after tacking on ten rebounds (2 ORB | 8 DRB).
First Quarter (16-8, WT)
The Lady Buffs got the early jump on the Muleriders in the season-opening quarter, as West Texas went up 5-0 quickly with a layup from Abbi Holder and a three-pointer from Kerbie Cash. Bump responded not long after with a three-pointer of her own, 5-3. With about 6:18 to go in the period, West Texas had grown its lead to six at 9-3, and would hold until Kadia Ward banked in two free throws for the Muleriders, 9-5. The Lady Buffs countered quickly, though, with a layup and another three-pointer. Ensuing a free throw by the Lady Buffs, Bump cashed in another three to cut the deficit to seven, at 15-8, before another free throw by WT to end the period, 16-8.
Second Quarter (27-20, WT)
The Blue and Gold ended up outscoring the 20th-ranked team in the second period, but starting the scoring in the quarter was WT with another free throw, 17-8. The Lady Buffs tacked on layup to build their lead to a game-high 11 points, 19-8. Kennedy Moss cut the deficit back to single digit with a jumper in the paint, 19-10, and the sophomore from Trophy Club, Texas cut into the deficit again with a shot from beyond the arc, 19-13. The Lady Buffs increased their advantage back to 11 points after a pair of layups and a free throw, but an Ainsley Hall three-pointer brought the game back within single digits, 24-16. Following a scoreless minute, Bump and Blythe Crawley each tacked on layups to bring the bout within four, but a buzzer-beater three-pointer for the Lady Buffs gave the group the momentum and the seven-point lead going into the intermission.
Third Quarter (43-35, WT)
West Texas A&M came out extremely strong out of the break, with the Lady Buffs scoring 16 points compared to Southern Arkansas' four points, 43-24. From then on, the Muleriders began their comeback, as the Blue and Gold scored 11 points unanswered for the remainder of the period, which was capped off by three-straight Hope Bump layups, 43-35.
Fourth Quarter (Final, 61-54, WT)
The Lady Buffs once again got the scoring started, as WT scored back-to-back layups before a Moss free throw, 47-36. The Crawley-Bump tandem once again assisted the Muleriders in scoring, with the two marking down back-to-back three-pointers, 50-42. After a WT free throw, Southern Arkansas scored a pair of free throws from Ward and another layup by Bump, prior to a West Texas layup, 53-46. Hope Bump then counted back-to-back three-pointers on her own that surrounded a Lady Buffs free throw, 54-52. Even with the game fully within reach, a West Texas layup ended up being all the Lady Buffs needed, as the only other points SAU could score for the last 2:36 of the game was a pair of Johnna Brockman free throws. West Texas A&M ended up scoring five points unanswered to win the outing, 61-54.
Up Next
The Muleriders trip in Canyon, Texas is not yet finished, as Southern Arkansas will take on another ranked opponent from the Lone Star Conference in the sixth-ranked Texas Woman's Pioneers tomorrow, October 31, at 2:15 PM.
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