SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Junior Mary Savoy scored in the final second of play as the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros women's basketball team beat the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 62-60 on Tuesday at The Thunderdome.
 
The Vaqueros (4-2) led 60-58 in the final minute, but Kendra Morrison made a layup to tie the game with seven seconds remaining. On the ensuing play, Savoy went coast-to-coast for a layup to give the Vaqueros the lead. The Gauchos (1-3) had enough time for a half-court heave, but it popped out off the rim.
 
Senior Shawnte' Goff led the Vaqueros with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Sophomore Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir scored 13 points with eight rebounds. Savoy finished with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting and seven rebounds. Junior Anushka Maldonado and freshman Bernesha Peters each scored nine points.
 
Makala Roper led the Gauchos with 21 points. Morrison finished with 10 points.
 
The Vaqueros trailed 8-1 in the opening minutes, but came back to tie the game on a Maldonado three-point play before a Savoy jumper capped the 12-0 run at 13-8.
 
The Gauchos came back to take a 24-19 lead, but Peters hit back-to-back threes as part of an 8-1 run as the Vaqueros took a 27-25 lead.
 
The Vaqueros trailed 30-27 at halftime, but outscored the Gauchos 18-6 in the third quarter to build a 45-36 lead. The Vaqueros never trailed again.
 
The Vaqueros are back in action on Saturday at 2 p.m. when they visit TCU.

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