16 years of ups and downs for head coach Beth Jillson and Texas Woman's University women's basketball has a chance to end in triumph on Friday night. TWU faces Minnesota State at 7 p.m. in the DII Women's Basketball Championship Game at Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Missouri. The game will be aired live on CBS Sports Network.
"We're just so excited for the opportunity to compete for a national championship," Jillson says.
It's the second matchup this season between TWU (34-4) and Minnesota State (33-5). On November 4, TWU eked out a 76-71 win over MSU in a neutral site game in Billings, Montana.
TWU Junior forward Ashley Ingram (Bridgeport, TX) had 29 points and 11 rebounds in the win. And the Pioneers hit 21-27 from the free throw line.
"We have so much respect for MSU, and just what they've done this season," Jillson says. "They didn't have their all American and Joey Batt (in the first matchup). They just have so many different weapons. We know that it's going to be a battle and it's going to be a really fun game."
You might think with a game of such magnitude on the horizon, the Pioneers would be tinkering with every last part of preparation. But Jillson says her team thrives on its consistency.
"We just don't change a lot of things up. We are who we are," she explained. "We prepare the same way for each and every game. We enjoy our rest and recovery. We're gonna make sure that our players are seeing our trainer, and they're really just enjoying the moment and enjoying each other."
The world was a lot different when Coach Jillson took over the TWU program in 2007. Reflecting on her growth as a coach and the valuable lessons learned, Jillson emphasized the importance of perspective and gratitude, especially in the face of challenges and uncertainties, such as those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I think COVID taught me a lot. Those were hard, hard years where we weren't very good because we didn't have very many players that weren't sick," she shared. "I'm thankful for the lessons that I've learned throughout the journey, and I just want to continue to learn and get better."
This is the best Texas Woman's University basketball has ever been. And tonight, it may end in a title.
TWU is hosting a free watch party at Bridges Auditorium in Hubbard Hall on the Denton campus. Game concessions will be available, along with door prizes.
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