The YellowJacket women's basketball team made the trip to NCAA Division II Texas A&M-Commerce on Wednesday for their regular season opener. A sluggish first quarter would prove to be the difference as the Lions would prevail 87-69 over LETU.
 
The senior duo of Crystal Jones and LaTanya Drakes led the way for LeTourneau as Jones led all scorers with 19, 17 of which came in the first half. The Fort Worth, Texas native also dished out five assists in the game.
 
Drakes recorded her ninth career double-double in the first game of the 2016-2017 season as she scored 12 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in her 25 minutes. Nine of the 13 rebounds were offensive rebounds giving the YellowJackets extra offensive possessions.
 
Shaquicia Johnson was also a double-digit scorer for LeTourneau as she poured in 11 points including a late game 3-point field goal, the first of her YellowJacket career. The Bryan, Texas native also led LETU in assists with six to go along with her six rebounds.
 
"We did some nice things offensively at many points within this game, but we must commit to doing the little things that win games," said head coach Leslie Reinecker. "We have to be more disciplined on the defensive end and put in the work on the boards for us to be successful."
 
The Lions would go ahead 12-2 in the first quarter and would lead by as many as 17 as LeTourneau couldn't find the shooting touch early. Crystal Jones would knock down a pair of three-point field goals to cut the lead to 13 at the end of the period.
 
Senior Paige Demery scored five of her seven points in the first half as the YellowJackets went back and forth with TAMUC in the second quarter and went into the break trailing 31-46.
 
The second half was more of the same for LeTourneau as Shaquicia Johnson and Bria Goodman brought energy for the YellowJackets, with Johnson scoring nine of her 11 points in the final half. The Lions outscored LETU 52-28 in the paint and 22-14 off of turnovers. They had season-high 39 points off the bench.
 
LeTourneau will be back in action on Sunday afternoon as they square off with Trinity University (Texas) in San Antonio at 4 p.m.