AUSTIN, Texas – After finishing the regular season by winning seven of their last eight games, the Concordia Texas women's basketball team heads to Richardson, Texas, Thursday in a matchup against UT Tyler at noon in the first round of the American Southwest Conference Tournament hosted by UT Dallas.
 
The Tornados earned the three seed in the ASC West after finishing the year 14-11, 10-7 ASC and advanced to the conference tournament for the seventh straight season.
 
UT Tyler and CTX have faced off in the first round of the ASC Tournament in each of the last two seasons, with the Patriots winning both matchups. The teams also played each other earlier this season in Tyler, Texas, where UTT grabbed a 64-45 win.
 
Since falling to Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas, the Tornados have been one of the hottest teams in the ASC, rattling off six straight home wins. CTX knocked off both ASC West Division champion UMHB as well as ASC East Division winner UT Dallas in the six-game winning streak.
 
Guards Jaela Dejean and Mercedes Ellison have been the leaders for the Tornados this season. Dejean, a senior out of Houston, is averaging 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds 3.6 assists and 3.1 steals per contest while Ellison, a junior from Victoria, Texas, produces 11.0 points, 6.0 boards and 2.6 steals per game.
 
Earlier this season, Dejean became just the ninth player in CTX history to score at least 1,000 points in her career. She has scored in double figures in each of her last 10 games for the Tornados.
 
Kaycie Dunkerley and Payton Berger are also key contributors for the Tornados. Dunkerley, a sophomore from Azle, Texas, is fourth in the ASC with 55 made 3-pointers this season while Berger, also a sophomore out of Azle, Texas, picks up 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
 
The winner of Thursday's quarterfinal will take on the winner of UMHB and Louisiana College in the semifinals at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The game against the Patriots will tip off at noon on Thursday inside UTD Activity Center.