HPU Women Lock Down LeTourneau in 54–44 Road Victory

The Howard Payne women's basketball team used suffocating defense and a decisive third-quarter surge to secure a 54–44 road win over LeTourneau on Saturday afternoon in Longview. The Lady Jackets forced an impressive 34 LeTourneau turnovers and turned them into 37 points, controlling the tempo and momentum from start to finish.

HPU trailed 13–12 after the opening period but responded by holding LETU to just five points in the second quarter, allowing the Lady Jackets to take a 23–18 halftime lead. That defensive intensity carried into the second half as Howard Payne opened the third quarter with its strongest offensive frame of the day, scoring 20 points to build a double-digit advantage that held the rest of the way.

Caitlyn Panuco led HPU with 17 points, going 7-of-11 from the floor while adding four steals and two assists. Azaylee Santos added eight points, three assists, and three steals, while Taylor McAfee chipped in 10 points with four steals of her own. Kate Buchanan provided important interior presence, finishing with seven points, five rebounds, and a game-high five steals.

Defensively, the Lady Jackets were dominant, racking up 21 steals as a team and limiting LeTourneau to just two free-throw attempts the entire game. HPU's pressure disrupted every phase of LETU's offense, leading to fast-break opportunities and efficient scoring in transition.

Offensively, Howard Payne totaled 26 points in the paint and continued to build confidence with a balanced attack across multiple players. The Lady Jackets also received a spark from the bench, contributing key minutes and hustle plays that kept momentum on HPU's side throughout the contest.

With the win, Howard Payne improves to 3–6 on the season and returns to action on Sunday, December 7th against University of Dallas in Irving.