Photo Gallery

EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros women's basketball team clinched a winning record in non-conference play by beating the Evangel University Crusaders 75-60 on Wednesday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
Junior Shawnte' Goff led the Vaqueros (8-6) with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Sophomore Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir recorded her first double-double of the season and second of her career with a career-high 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Senior Rickell Preston finished with nine points and a career-high tying six steals. It was the second time in the last three games that Preston recorded at least five steals. Freshman Bernesha Peters also had nine points. Sophomore Weslaco alum Laura Van Tilburg scored a career-high eight points and a season-high six rebounds.
 
Allison Swanson led the Crusaders with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting and 11 rebounds. Reggine Brown scored 12 points with five rebounds.
 
Preston hit three early baskets as the Vaqueros jumped out to an 8-0 lead. Alison Jarrell got the Crusaders on the board with a three at the 3:25 mark, and although that was their only basket of the quarter, the Crusaders hit all four of their free throw attempts to pull within 10-7.
 
Van Tilburg responded with a layup as the Vaqueros scored six-straight points to push the lead out to nine.
 
The Crusaders used another 7-2 run to climb within 21-16 on a Swanson layup, but Goff hit a jumper and then converted a three-point play as part of a 7-0 run that gave the Vaqueros their largest lead of the half at 28-16.
 
The Crusaders hit five of their next eight shots to go on a 15-3 run and tie the game at 31 early in the third quarter, but the Vaqueros hit five of their next nine shots, including 4-of-5 from behind the arc, while going 7-for-10 from the line, to power a 21-3 run and take a 52-34 lead late in the quarter.
 
The Vaqueros are back in action on Friday at 11 a.m. when they visit Syracuse, a team receiving votes in both of the most recent polls.

Support UTRGV Women's Basketball | Become a Fan on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Follow us on Instagram | Follow us on YouTube