AUSTIN, Texas – Using a balanced attack and solid defense, the Concordia Texas women's basketball team earned a 66-59 win over Hardin-Simmons Thursday night at Concordia Fieldhouse.
 
CTX (11-10, 7-6 ASC) grabbed their fourth straight win thanks in large part to a solid effort by the Tornados' starting five, who combined to score 59 of Concordia's 66 total points.
 
Jaela Dejean, Mercedes Ellison, Kaycie Dunkerley and Payton Berger all scored in double figures as CTX held HSU to just 39.2 percent from the floor and 30.0 percent from downtown.
 
Dejean, a senior from Houston, produced a game-high 17 points while Ellison, a junior out of Victoria, Texas, picked up 14 points. They both also added four assists and four steals in the win.
 
The game went back-and-forth for the entirety of the first half, with the lead changing hands 11 times in the half. The Cowgirls held a three point advantage at the end of both the first and second quarters as they went into the break up 29-26.
 
The Tornados created separation in the third quarter thanks to a 16-4 run that put CTX ahead 56-46 with 0:57 left in the quarter. Alyssa Marquez nailed a 3-point bucket just before the quarter ended to give the Tornados a 49-38 advantaged heading into the final stanza.
 
The lead swelled to as many as 13 after Dunkerley, a sophomore from Azle, Texas, hit a shot from beyond the arc with 8:58 left to play.
 
The Cowgirls made a run of their own cutting the lead to 53-52 halfway through the fourth. CTX, however, responded with an 8-0 run fueled by Dejean and Ellison to put the game away.
 
In the win, the Tornados shot 50.0 percent from the floor and 45.5 percent from distance. CTX also scored 23 points off of turnovers compared to just 10 for HSU.
 
Concordia will look to continue their hot streak on Saturday as they welcome McMurry to Concordia Fieldhouse for an ASC West matchup beginning at 2:0