LINCOLN, Neb. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's basketball team dropped its opening round game of the Preseason WNIT 71-53 to Nebraska on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
 
Senior Shawnte' Goff led UTRGV (0-1) with 19 points and five rebounds. She now has 1,409 points, just 30 shy of Bianca Torre's program scoring record of 1,439 points set from 2009-13. Junior Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds with three blocks. Junior Weslaco alum Laura Van Tilburg went a career-best 5-for-6 from the field while scoring a career-high 11 points with five rebounds and three blocks.
 
Jessica Shepard led Nebraska (1-0) with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Allie Havers scored 10 points with seven rebounds.
 
The game was close throughout the first half. UTRGV was within 7-6 midway through the first quarter on a Goff jumper, and 15-12 early in the second quarter on a Van Tilburg jumper.
 
A Goff jumper brought UTRGV within 24-19, a Van Tilburg jumper made it 26-21, and a pair of Kjartansdóttir free throws made it 30-24 late in the second quarter, but Shepard hit a half court buzzer beater before Nebraska scored the first 14 points of the third quarter to pull away.
 
UTRGV continues the Preseason WNIT in the consolation bracket on Friday and Saturday. Location and opponent information is expected to be available later today.

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