Bulldogs Open SCAC Play with 96-58 Rout of Southwestern

SEGUIN, Texas -- Texas Lutheran opened conference play with a 96-58 rout of Southwestern inside Memorial Gymnasium Thursday night.

Kailee Mulkey (New Braunfels/New Braunfels) led the Bulldogs with 16 points and three steals. Mulkey moves into sole possession of second place all-time in TLU's NCAA history in steals with 169 in her career. Lauren Sansano (San Antonio/FEAST) was the only other Bulldog in double figures with 11 points and four assists. Sarahi Jones (Los Fresnos/Los Fresnos) finished with eight points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Elexis Morado (Kingsville/Santa Gertrudis Academy) added six points and a career-high five assists. As a team, TLU shot 59.6 percent (31-52) from the field and drained 15 threes on 27 attempts (55.6%). The 15 made threes are the most for the program in its NCAA history.

TLU (7-2, 1-0 SCAC) produced its largest margin of victory so far this season with every active player playing at least seven minutes and scoring at least two points. Texas Lutheran won its SCAC opener for the eighth time in 12 years as a conference affiliate. The Bulldogs 96 points are the program's most Jan. 2015 that saw the Bulldogs score 97 points against Centenary.

Mulkey scored 10 of her game-high 16 points in the first half. She shot 4-of-5 from the field and converted one of her two attempts from deep over the contest's opening 20 minutes.

The Bulldogs outrebounded the Pirates 38-33 and finished with 25 assists.

TLU created separation from Southwestern (3-7, 0-1 SCAC) within minutes. The Bulldogs threaded a 17-7 run across the opening five minutes and carried a 30-10 lead after one. Mulkey scored eight points while Jones and Sansano scored five points each as the Bulldogs shot a scorching 73.3 percent (11-of-15) from the field in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs widened their lead via baskets from Jones and Mulkey to open the quarter. Texas Lutheran took a 46-21 lead into the locker room with the Bulldogs beginning 7-of-11 from beyond the arc.

The Bulldogs continued to pour it on in the third with a majority of the starting five seeing their final action early in the period with TLU leading by as many as 34 points. The Bulldogs second unit would outscore the Pirates 21-13 in the fourth quarter led by a career-high eight points from freshman Raemie Medina (Weslaco/Weslaco).

Chaeli Criddle (Canyon Lake/FEAST) would match her career-high with eight points, freshman Maggy Moreman (Skidmore/Skidmore-Tynan) would score a career-high four points, and Irianna Rollins (Pflugerville/Connally) would add seven points including her first collegiate three-pointer.

Up next, TLU will travel to Georgetown for a rematch with Southwestern on Saturday, January 4. Tip-off is set for 4 PM. All streaming and live stats links will be available on tlubulldogs.com.