BILLINGS, MT – With one win against a nationally-ranked opponent already in the books on opening weekend at the D2CCA Women's Basketball Tip Off Classic at the Trailhead, the University of Mary narrowly missed a second in a 73-69 loss to #24 Texas Woman's University.
 
Lexie Schneider led the Marauders in scoring with 20 points, her third straight game posting 20 or more in a game. The All-NSIC forward hit all six of her free throws and added five rebounds and two assists. She averaged 22 points per game for the tournament.
 
Megan Zander added 13 points, hitting a pair of treys with four rebounds and three assists.
 
Mariah McKeever scored 11 points, also making two treys while dishing out five assists and snaring five rebounds.
 
Moriku Hakim came off the bench to help control the paint for the Marauders. She was 5-for-8 from the floor and grabbed five boards.
 
Ashley Ingram led the Pioneers with 19 points.
 
UMary jumped out to an early 8-point lead before Texas Woman's fought back to finish the 1^st quarter in front 22-19. Down as many as 12 points, the Marauders fought back to 54-52 late in the third on a layup by Hakim.
 
Never able to cut the lead further, the Marauders made one last run late in the contest. With a Pioneer's played called for a flop, Zander made two free throws following the technical foul to close the gap to 71-69 with 44 seconds to play. Twice the Marauders had field goal attempts to tie the game but neither would fall. Ingram eventually hit two free throws with seven seconds left to seal the Marauders fate.
 
The Marauders finished 1-2 at the D2CCA Tip Off classic, opening with an 81-67 win over #19 Angelo State before falling to host #16 MSU Billings.
 
UMary next competes at the Central Region Challenge in Tahlequah, OK, on Nov. 10-11. The Marauders open against the University of Central Oklahoma before facing Northeastern State University.
 
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