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EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's basketball team rallied back from a 16-point deficit to win its program record eighth-straight home game 64-55 over Utah Valley University (UVU) on Thursday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
UTRGV (14-8, 4-2 WAC) is now off to the best 22-game start in program history, one game ahead of last year's record-setting pace that saw the team finish with a program record .576 (19-14) winning percentage.
 
Sophomore Bernesha Peters led UTRGV with 16 points. Sophomore Idil Türk scored all 12 of her points on four-straight three-pointers over the final four minutes. Junior Hildur Björg Kjarstandóttir posted her third double-double of the season with 11 points, 13 rebounds (six offensive), two blocks and two steals. Sophomore Tristan Murphy posted her first-career double-double with 11 points, a career-high 11 rebounds (six offensive), two blocks and one steal. Senior Shawnte' Goff finished with 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
 
Mariah Seals led UVU (6-14, 1-4 WAC) with 25 points and six assists. Sam Lubcke finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
 
UVU scored the first four points of the game before Goff nailed a three to help UTRGV respond with eight points of its own to take the lead.
 
UTRGV still led by four at 13-9 after a Peters three, but Seals hit two three-pointers and a layup to power an 18-1 run to give UVU a 27-14 lead at the 6:29 mark of the second. UVU then extended its lead to 16 points at 38-22 on a Seals layup four and a half minutes later.
 
UVU led 44-30 early in the third quarter when Kjartansdóttir used three layups to fuel a 12-0 run and bring UTRGV within 44-42 with 4:16 remaining.
 
UTRGV tied the game at 52 on a Goff layup with 4:45 left in the game.
 
Lubcke hit a free throw put UVU back on top, but that's when Türk hit her four three-pointers to push the game out of reach.
 
UTRGV hosts Seattle U on Saturday at 7 p.m. in a game that will be televised throughout Texas on Spectrum Sports Alt. channel 825. Doors open at 6.

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