STEPHENVILLE – A run of four games in seven days to open the new calendar year ended on a high-note for Tarleton as the TexAnns blasted Texas Woman's 79-41 Thursday night in Wisdom Gym.

The game was close early – at least for the first 2:06 – as Tarleton held a slim 5-4 lead, but a Katie Webster free throw and back-to-back triples from Kaylee Allen and McKinley Bostad opened the flood gates. The 7-0 surge was the beginning of a 14-0 run that saw Tarleton build a big lead early at 19-4. Tarleton held the Pioneers without a field goal for nearly three whole minutes during the run. 

After Texas Woman's hit a three-pointer for their only offense over the final 7:54 of the first quarter, Mackenzie Hailey and Kaylee Allen scored seven unanswered to end the quarter and send Tarleton into the second with a 26-7 lead. 

Tarleton continued its torrid pace, outscoring the Pioneers 42-26 over the next two quarters before holding Texas Woman's to just eight points in the fourth quarter en route to the win. Tarleton pushed its lead to as large as 38 in the final 30 seconds of the game. 

As a team, Tarleton shot .500 from the floor for the game, including .440 from downtown, while holding the Pioneers to a mere .295 shooting clip. The TexAnn defense held the entire Pioneer bench scoreless for the game as only the starting five accounted for points. 

McKinley Bostad led the way with 20 points on 8-9 shooting from the floor, including 4-5 from beyond the arc. She also had five assists and three rebounds. Kaylee Allen poured in 15 points while Hailey scored 13. Nina Alvarez, Kandyn Faurie, and Marissa Escamilla each scored six points off the bench while Hannah Hyde (4), Destiney Winkfield (3), Katie Webster (3), and Kylie Collins (3) rounded out the scoring. 

Tarleton will take a well-earned week between games before hitting the road again for a Thursday-Saturday visit to Eastern New Mexico and West Texas A&M.