Women's Basketball Hangs Tough with #4 TWU

SAN ANTONIO – The St. Mary's Women's Basketball continues to show improvement and a never-say die attitude, remaining close with the fourth-ranked team in the nation throughout the contest on Saturday, eventually succumbing 52-45.
 
The Rattlers (7-15, 3-13 Lone Star) held Texas Woman's (20-1, 15-0 Lone Star) to its lowest offensive output of the year, four points lower than the Pioneers previous low of 56 at Western New Mexico on Dec. 19.
 
St. Mary's forced TWU into 20 turnovers as senior Tonia Bilic (Zagreb, Croatia) swiped three, one off her career high of four from earlier this year against Angelo State. Bilic added 11 points, scoring in double figures for the first time since Dec. 17.
 
Freshman Gabby Elliott (San Antonio) scored in double digits for the 13th-consecutive contest, leading the team with 12 points and six rebounds. Bilic had two assists and both senior Briley Perkins (Houston) and sophomore Faith Phillips (San Marcos, Texas) each blocked one shot.
 
Ashley Ingram led the game with 13 points for the Pioneers and she and Ngozi Obineke each had seven rebounds.
 
Both teams struggled from the arc, combining for a 1-for-16 day with the Rattlers going 1-for-10 and the Pioneers 0-for-6.
 
The Rattlers remain at home, hosting Oklahoma Christian at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday evening and UAFS on Saturday at 1 p.m.