ALLEN, Texas – No. 11/9 West Texas A&M used an early third quarter run to pull away from Midwestern State en route to a 63-44 victory over the Mustangs in the Lone Star Conference quarterfinals Wednesday evening at the Allen Event Center.

West Texas A&M (25-3) shot 51.1 percent from the floor and knocked down 16-of-19 from the charity stripe for the game while limiting the Mustangs to just 32.7 percent from the field.

Midwestern State ended the 2015-16 season at 5-22 with sophomore guard Whitney Taylor leading the Mustangs with nine points while battling illness the entire week. Junior guard Jacquar Westbrooks added eight points and a team-high five rebounds.

West Texas A&M took a 15-6 lead after the first quarter of play as the Mustangs were held to 2-of-12 shooting while committing six turnovers.

A layup by senior forward Zantaya Davis gave the Lady Buffs their largest lead of the first half at 19-6 with 8:26 to play in the second period. The Mustangs pulled back within single digits after jumpers from freshman guard Montoria Tripp and Taylor made it a 24-16 game just under three minutes remaining in the quarter.

Midwestern cut its deficit down to six at 26-20 with 1:12 to play after a pair of free throws for senior forward Katie Brown. However, the Lady Buffs pushed their lead back up to double digits just before the half to take a 30-20 lead at the break.

West Texas A&M doubled up the Mustangs at 44-22 just over four minutes into the third period following a three-pointer by junior guard Sasha Watson. The Lady Buffs held a comfortable lead for the remainder of the quarter, not allowing the Mustangs to come closer than 18 after a layup by senior forward Delize Paul just before the buzzer.

The Mustangs were unable to mount a comeback in the final period as the Lady Buffs held MSU to just a pair of field goals through the first eight minutes of the quarter. A triple for sophomore guard Krishawn Crockett pulled the Mustangs within 17, the closest since the seven-minute mark of the third quarter, before the Lady Buffs recorded the 63-44 victory.

Watson led the Lady Buffs with 19 points while senior guard Michaela Neuhaus (13) and Davis (11) also reached double figures.