YellowJackets fall to Southwestern in season opener

GEORGETOWN, Texas – The Southwestern University Pirates used runs of 15-2 and 9-0 in first half to establish a comfortable lead and cruised to an 84-64 win over LeTourneau in the YellowJackets' season opener Tuesday.

Senior forward La'Queda Davis (Houston, Texas/Waltrip) scored 19 points for the YellowJackets (0-1). Freshman point guard Jessica Manas (Haltom City, Texas/Haltom) added 14 points in her collegiate debut.

Chelsea Leader scored 20 points to lead Southwestern (3-0). She finished a rebound shy of a double-double.

The Jackets traded baskets with the host Pirates over the first four minutes and led 6-5 after a Davis jumper at the 16:03 mark. From there, Southwestern outscored the Jackets 15-2 and established a 20-8 lead when Nancy Juarez hit a jumper at the 10:16 mark of the first half.

LeTourneau would get as close as 20-13 when Manas converted a layup and a free throw with 9:37 remaining, but the Pirates flexed their muscles and scored the following nine points. The Jackets did not pull to within single digits the rest of the contest.

The Pirates' long-range shooting played a key role in lifting Southwestern to the victory – the Pirates shot 52 percent (12-of-23) from behind the 3-point arc.

The YellowJackets return to action Saturday when they host McMurry in their first American Southwest Conference game of the season. The LeTourneau women open the scheduled doubleheader at 1 p.m.