Women's Basketball Wins Season Opener Against Welch

Athens, Tenn.- The women's basketball team opened the 2022-23 season on Saturday. For their season opener, the team hosted a non-conference opponent, the Welch College Lady Flames.

The first quarter saw Welch take the first lead. Jacelyn Stone and Cambree Mayo changed the lead to TWU's favor, making the score 10-4. Alexis Bates and Yeika Jimenez Diaz scored to extend the lead to 16-9 and a three-pointer by Jaci Powell made the score 19-11 to end the first quarter.

Mayo's opening basket in the second quarter pushed the Lady Bulldogs ahead by ten points. Mikalee Martin and Abbey Barr scored to keep the lead in double digits, with Barr's layup making the score 26-16. A layup by Ella Crowder along with back-to-back three-point baskets by Barr and Diaz moved the team's lead to 34-18. Two baskets by Bates and a three-point jumper by Jordan Wright gave Tennessee Wesleyan a 41-23 lead at the halftime break.

The Lady Bulldogs continued to hold their lead in the second half as Barr's three-point basket made the score 48-31 halfway through the third quarter. Sierra Bates hit a jump shot to move the team to 50 points in the game, maintaining the team's 17-point advantage. TWU led 51-38 at the end of the third quarter.

The offense for the Lady Bulldogs kept adding to the lead, as Martin, Anna Crowder, and Stone scored to make the lead 58-40. A three-point basket by Ashley Baxter gave the team their largest lead of the game of 23 points with the scoreboard reading 63-40. Tennessee Wesleyan went on to win the game 64-49.

Twelve players scored in the game, led by Stone's 10 points. Barr added eight points and Diaz had seven points. A. Crowder led on the boards with seven rebounds.