Lady Texans Explode in Third Quarter to Cruise Past Midland
A dominant third-quarter surge powered South Plains College past Midland College on Monday night, as the Lady Texans broke the game open after halftime and rolled to a convincing 76–58 conference victory at the Texan Dome.
LEVELLAND, TX - South Plains College used a decisive third-quarter surge to pull away from Midland College, rolling to a 76–58 win Monday evening (Feb. 9, 2026) at the Texan Dome.
Midland (12–12, 1–8) hung around early, trailing 23–16 after the first quarter and 36–29 at halftime. The game flipped coming out of the break, when South Plains (18–4, 6–3) erupted for a 33-point third quarter while holding Midland to nine. That 33–9 run created a 69–38 cushion entering the fourth, effectively deciding the contest despite Midland's 20-point final period.
South Plains' balanced attack featured five starters in double figures. Dilangue Cruz led the way with 18 points, adding six rebounds and three assists while knocking down two threes and going 4-for-4 at the line. Isabel Joao posted a strong all-around line of 15 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals, and Angelina Joao chipped in 11 points. Signe Nordvik added 10 points on efficient shooting, and Maya Braxton-Young contributed eight points with a game-high six assists and zero turnovers.
Midland was paced by Latisha Wilson, who scored 23 points on 11-of-18 shooting and added two blocks. Sarah Gregory and Claudia Chessari each scored nine, with Chessari hitting both of her three-point attempts. Diana Szakolczi added eight points and four assists. However, Midland struggled to generate perimeter offense (2-of-11 from three) and was hurt by 19 turnovers, which helped South Plains create extra possessions during its third-quarter burst.
On the glass, South Plains held a clear advantage, 35–25 in rebounds, including 13 offensive boards that fueled second-chance opportunities. Both teams shot similarly from the field (South Plains 42.4%, Midland 42.6%), but South Plains' edge in three-point makes (8 to 2) and free throws (12 to 4) widened the gap.
With the win, South Plains strengthened its conference position at 6–3, while Midland continued to search for traction in league play at 1–8.
