Box Score A 13-0 spurt run late in the second half sparked the LeTourneau University women's basketball team to a 55-53 win over Hardin Simmons University to snap a six-game losing streak on Saturday in Solheim Arena.
 
The YellowJackets (5-7, 3-6 ASC) erased a 10-point first half deficit in the win. With 8:41 to play in the game, LeTourneau senior Alexis Wighaman scored a second-chance basket to spark a 13-0 run.
 
The Wighaman bucket motivated an aggressive LeTourneau defense, who would block four shots in the final minutes as the senior tandem of Wighaman and Jessica Manas led the YellowJackets back. Wighaman scored four points and Manas added three but it was clutch defensive efforts that proved to be the difference.  The duo was supported by sophomore Ashley Stephens, who had a team-best 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots.
 
"I was extremely proud of the team effort given today," said LeTourneau head women's basketball coach Corey Thomaston. In the win, LeTourneau utilized 12 players – 11 of which scored - who all had a contribution to the win. Joining Stephens in double figures was junior Ashley Fajardo and Alexis Wighaman, who added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Manas finished the contest with eight points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.
 
"Our girls showed the heart and character we desire. They remained relentless on both ends of the floor even down double digits in the first half," said Thomaston. "I'm very excited about this team in its abilities to accomplish as a unit."
 
The Cowgirls (5-7, 5-4 ASC) was led by Shelby Hanna and Lauren Thomas, who scored 12 and 10 points, respectively. Hanna scored 10 of her 12 in the first 20 minutes as the visitors held a 30-25 halftime advantage.
 
Wighaman scored on a jumper at the 5:40 mark to tie the game at 46 and for only the second in the contest. On back-to-back possessions, the LETU defense came up with blocked shots to keep the visitors off the score board. Then, a breakaway layup by Manas with 4:04 to go put the host YellowJackets up – 48-46 - for the first time since the first points of the game at the 19:38 mark.

Le Tourneau added to its lead when Manas made one of two free throws and Stephens made a pair to stretch the margin to five, 51-46 with 2:29 to go. Four unanswered points would bring the Cowgirls to within one; however, the YellowJackets had an answer when Manas made two more free throws and Stephens made a layup with 54 seconds to go.
 
After a HSU three pointer cut the deficit to two, the next possession for the Cowgirls came up short when Kayla Brown missed a game-tying jumper with less than a second left to end the contest.
 
In the win, LeTourneau outscored Hardin Simmons, 28-20 on points in the paint and had an 11-9 advantage on second-chance points. The YellowJacket defense held the Cowgirls to 29% shooting from the field.
 
The YellowJackets will now take to the road for the first time in 2014 when they travel to Alpine, Texas to face Sul Ross State on