ABILENE, Texas – The fifth-ranked Tiger women's basketball team opened up a holiday week of action with a 76-69 win at No. 18/25 Hardin-Simmons University on Tuesday night.

Trinity improved to 5-0 with the win, handing Hardin-Simmons (3-1) its first loss of the young season. The two teams split a pair of games last season, with the Tigers winning in Abilene in the NCAA Playoffs after losing on the road early in the year.

Hardin-Simmons made run after run to stay in the game, despite Trinity holding several double-digit leads through the first three quarters. Ashlyn Milton (Amarillo, Texas / Amarillo) buried the Cowgirls with three three-pointers in the final 4:40 of the game to keep the Tigers in front. Trinity also hit 6-for-8 from the foul line in the final minute to seal the win.

Milton led the way with 17 points for the Tigers, nailing 3-of-4 from three-point range and hitting 7-of-13 overall from the field. All this despite playing just 23 minutes due to foul trouble, fouling out of the game with 1:43 remaining. She also tied with Josie Napoli (Beaverton, Ore. / Valley Catholic) and Addison Putnam (Scottsdale, Ariz. / Xavier College Prep) for the team lead with six rebounds each. Putnam added six points and also dished out a team-leading four assists and recorded four steals to pace the Tiger defense.

Trinity and Hardin-Simmons will run it back this weekend as both teams will square off once again in San Antonio on Saturday. The Tigers close the weekend by hosting LeTourneau University on Sunday at 6:00 p.m.

The Rundown
The opening quarter was a game of runs with Trinity scoring three layups to take a 6-0 lead, then Hardin-Simmons scored seven straight points of its own to take a brief 7-6 lead with under four minutes to go. The Tigers almost immediately regained the lead with a three-point basket, then Emily Nelson (Sugar Land, Texas / Saint Agnes Academy) scored five straight to close the quarter and give Trinity a 14-7 lead after one period.

Trinity built the lead up to double digits for the first time in the game less than two minutes into the second quarter. The Tigers scored on three straight possessions to make it a 20-9 lead. The Cowgirls couldn't put together a run to cut into the lead and the lead was still nine with 6:25 left in the first half.

The Tigers then scored seven consecutive points and 10 of the next 12 to push that advantage up to 34-17 with just over four minutes left. Hardin-Simmons held Trinity scoreless the rest of the quarter, using a 10-0 run to cut the lead down to just seven points at 34-27 at the break.

Trinity got the first basket of the third quarter, but Hardin-Simmons had the lead down to just four points less than 90 seconds into the period. The teams went back and forth over the next few possessions until Natalie Anderson (San Jose, Calif. / Archbishop Mitty) scored five unanswered on her own to make it a 10-point lead again at 46-36 with just over six minutes left. Hardin-Simmons had another strong finish to the quarter, beginning with a 12-2 run that tied the game 48-48 with 1:25 to go. A'Nnika Saenz (Edinburg, Texas / Edinburg) put Trinity back in front with a clutch three on the next possession, and the Tigers held on for a 53-52 lead heading into the final quarter.

Trinity missed its first eight field goals in the fourth quarter, as Milton's go-ahead three-pointer with 4:40 left breaking that dry spell. In the meantime, the defense kept the Tigers in the game by forcing the Cowgirls to three turnovers and 2-for-8 shooting during the stretch. Trinity also made 4-for-4 at the line over that stretch and never fell behind. Milton's three-point barrage came over a span of less than three minutes down the stretch, finishing at the 2:08 mark to put the Tigers up 68-61 at the time. After that, Hardin-Simmons converted an and-one that put Milton out of the game and cut the lead to four points. Putnam then put together a crucial sequence to help finish off the win. She scored on a layup to put Trinity up six, then got a block and a rebound to keep HSU off the scoreboard with 1:09 left.

The hometown team was forced to foul after that and the Tigers delivered. Napoli knocked down two free throws after Putnam's rebound to make it 72-64 with under a minute to play, then Maggie Robbins (Plano, Texas / Plano) did the same after Hardin-Simmons hit a three-pointer to keep the lead at seven points (74-67) with 48 seconds left. The Cowgirls only managed a pair of free throws after that and the Tigers exited with the win.

Numbers to Note
Robbins finished with a season-high 12 points, adding five boards, four assists, and a pair of steals. Napoli also reached double figures with 10 points, hitting 6-for-8 at the free throw line tonight.

Saenz came off the bench with 10 points, while Nelson finished with nine, and both players knocked down a pair of shots from long-range. Saenz was also perfect from the line, hitting all four of her attempts.

Coach Speak
"I couldn't help but feel connected to the movie 'Tin Cup' today," began Head Coach Cameron Hill. "Roy McAvoy, the driving range pro from Salome, Texas, may as well have been on the staff this afternoon. One thing about Roy, he has never been afraid to go for it – he loves defining moments! According to Tin Cup, when a defining moment comes along, you either define the moment, or the moment defines you. I think we defined the moment this evening!! Always love Abilene at Thanksgiving. Time to get home."

Up Next
Trinity will return home for a pair of games this weekend, beginning with a rematch against Hardin-Simmons on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. The Tigers will host LeTourneau University on Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m.