Women's Basketball Defeats Dallas for Fourth Consecutive Win

Women's Basketball Defeats Dallas for Fourth Consecutive Win

IRVING, Texas — The Southwestern University Pirates women's basketball team continued its momentum through conference play, defeating the University of Dallas 55-38 on the road. 

Noel Pratts set the tone early for Southwestern, scoring four points with two steals and three assists in the first quarter. The sophomore forward opened the game finding Courtney Maass for an open 3-pointer for the Pirates' first points of the game. 

Pratts followed that up with back-to-back steals, converting both into layups for a 7-2 lead. She then found Tori Carraway for an open jumper, accounting for her team's first nine points. 

The Pirates' defense stifled the University of Dallas offense, forcing eight turnovers in the first quarter for a 21-9 lead. 

Maass was aggressive in the first half, scoring eight of her 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting, hitting both of her 3-point attempts in the half. Southwestern out-rebounded Dallas 24-13 in the half, forcing 12 turnovers and getting 12 [points off the bench with Kelsey Faykus and Naomi Brown scoring four each in the half to give the Pirates a 32-20 lead at the break. 

Southwestern picked up its defense in the third quarter, holding Dallas to single digits at eight points and just 18 for the half. 

Maass led four Pirates in double figures with 11 points and three assists. Pratts finished with 10 points on 4-for-9 shooting with four assists and three steals. Tori Carraway had 10 points and six rebounds, shooting 4-for-6 from the free-throw line and Naomi Brown scored 10 points with six rebounds off the bench. 

The Pirates out-rebounded Dallas 42-34 for a 17-10 advantage in second-chance points. Southwestern also forced 23 turnovers, building a 27-6 edge in points off turnovers. The Pirates' bench outscored their counterparts 20-2. 

Jules Oliveti led Dallas with 14 points and 15 rebounds and Vanessa Diaz had 10 points and six rebounds. 

With the Pirates' fourth consecutive win, they improve to 6-9 on the season and 5-1 in SCAC play. Dallas drops to 1-13 and 1-5 in conference. The Pirates will host Texas Lutheran on Tuesday, Jan. 15 at 5:30 p.m.