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HOUSTON – HBU outscored Southwestern 54-22 in points in the paint and got 40 points from its bench in the Huskies' 90-56 exhibition win over the Pirates Friday evening from Sharp Gym.

Monet Neal and Lisa Zderadicka led a balanced Huskies' offense with a team-high 16 points apiece. Ekemini Essien came off the bench to score 15 points, while Rachel Arthur and Adriiana Jackson dropped 12 each. The Huskies shot 54 percent from the floor in the game.

Olivia Podaras scored a game-high 22 points to lead Southwestern, while Tori Carraway and Kelsey Faykus had 13 and 10, respectively. The Pirates shot 47 percent from the floor.

HBU scored the game's first six points, forcing the Pirates to call a timeout with 8:13 remaining in the first quarter. A made free throw by Podaras cut the Huskies' lead to three, 12-9, with 4:37 to go in the opening quarter, but HBU closed out the frame on an 18-8 run to lead, 30-17, entering the second quarter. HBU forced 11 SU turnovers in the frame, resulting in 12 points.

Midway through the second quarter, Jackson was fouled in the act of shooting a three-pointer and she made all three free throws, giving HBU an 18-point lead, 37-19. Seconds later, Anna Strickland forced a steal which resulted in a Monet Neal jumper for a 41-19 advantage with just under five minutes remaining in the first half.

Southwestern battled back, using a 14-3 run to cut the deficit to 10, 43-33, culminated by a Renee Walker three-pointer.

Neal led HBU with 10 first-half points, while Podaras had 17 points for the Pirates. HBU shot 55 percent from the floor in the half compared to 59 percent for SU.

HBU put the defensive pressure on to start the second half, forcing three steals in the half's first four minutes and increasing its lead back up to 23 following a fast-break layup by Rachel Arthur. With under two minutes left in the third quarter, Zderadicka's three-pointer gave the Huskies their largest lead of the game at 64-39.

Arthur closed the third quarter with a steal and that gave the Huskies momentum entering the fourth and final quarter of regulation. HBU outscored the Pirates, 16-2, to crack the 40-point plateau, 87-47, in the quarter's first six minutes.

HBU opens regular season play on the road against New Mexico Nov. 13 at 9 p.m. central and UTEP Nov. 15 at 3 p.m. central.