WICHITA FALLS, TX – The East Central University women's basketball team opened up the 2022-23 season at the Ashbrook Classic in Wichita Falls, TX, falling to Texas Women's University in a close 70-68 game at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
"I thought we had some good moments and shot the ball very well," Head Coach Matt Cole said. "We couldn't overcome our inability to secure the defensive rebound and that was the difference in this game."
 
Ashlyn Evans-Thompson got the scoring going for the Tigers, but TWU went on a 9-3 run to take the early lead and eventually pushed it to 16-12 in the opening period.
 
The second period started out with a jumper from TWU until an 8-0 scoring run by the Tigers, consisting of two 3-pointers from Izzy Cummins and Mackenzie Crusoe and a layup by Emily Wilson, put ECU back on top. Both teams kept it close for the remainder of the period, and a final 3-pointer froKennedy Cummings sent the Tigers into halftime leading 34-29.
 
Trailing by six in the third quarter, TWU went on an 11-6 scoring run to regain the lead. The Tigers and Owls kept the game close before TWU created a six-point lead with two minutes left to go in the period. But the Tigers didn't lie down, and two jumpers by Emma Epperly  put the Tigers within two going into the fourth period.
 
In the final quarter of action, ECU clawed there way back and led by as much as eight points at the 5:30 minute mark. The Owl's answered back with a 6-0 scoring run to close the gap and managed to tie the game 68-68 with under a minute to go. A game-winning layup by TWU with six seconds left would end the game 70-68.
 
Mackenzie Crusoe led the Tigers in scoring with 16 points. She went 6-for-12 on the floor and 3-for-7 from the 3-point range. Crusoe nearly had a triple-double with eight rebounds and eight assists.
 
Emily Wilson and Emma Epperly also scored in double-figures, who each had 12 points. Ashlyn Evans-Thompson was close behind with 11 points while adding eight rebounds and two steals in her debut as a Tiger.
 
The East Central University women's basketball team will close out the Ashbrook Classic with a game Saturday, Nov. 19 against host school Midwestern State University at 4 p.m.