AUSTIN, Texas – The Concordia Texas women's basketball team carried a three-point halftime lead into the locker room, but a difficult second half and a decisive fourth-quarter run by Southwestern resulted in a 70-55 loss Sunday evening inside the Deb & Don Christian Fieldhouse.
The Tornados came out sharp from the opening tip, building an early eight-point advantage behind the hot shooting of Katelyn Tietjen and strong contributions from Briann Warehime and Macie Upshaw. Concordia held Southwestern to just nine first-quarter points and led 17-9 after one.
Southwestern responded in the second quarter, but the Tornados continued to answer. Concordia protected its lead through much of the frame, and a late three-pointer from Tietjen gave CTX a 33-30 edge heading into halftime.
The game remained tightly contested throughout the third quarter with multiple lead changes. Southwestern eventually claimed a 41-39 advantage entering the final period after holding Concordia to six points in the quarter.
The Pirates seized control in the fourth, outscoring the Tornados 29-16 over the final 10 minutes. Southwestern used a combination of transition baskets, pressure defense, and free-throw shooting to turn a close contest into a double-digit margin. The visitors forced 18 Concordia turnovers and converted 29-of-39 attempts at the free-throw line to help secure the victory.
Tietjen led the Tornados with 16 points on three made three-pointers, while Warehime added 13 points off the bench. Ke'Myreul Wheaton chipped in 11 points and five rebounds, and Upshaw contributed nine points and six rebounds. Concordia scored 30 points in the paint and received 17 points from its bench unit.
Southwestern was paced by Neela Castillo's game-high 26 points and eight rebounds. Kylee Symons added 13 points, while Emma Flores contributed 10 points and four assists as the Pirates overcame an eight-point first-quarter deficit to earn the road win.
BOX SCORE STANDOUTS
Katelyn Tietjen: 16 Pts, 3 3FG, 1 Stl
Briann Warehime: 13 Pts, 2 Reb
Ke'Myreul Wheaton: 11 Pts, 5 Reb, 3 Ast
Macie Upshaw: 9 Pts, 6 Reb
Concordia Texas falls to 0-1 on the season and will look to bounce back in its next nonconference contest.
To stay updated on everything CTX women's basketball, follow @ctxathletics on social media and visit athletics.concordia.edu.
