EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's basketball team is on a six-game winning streak for the first time in program history after winning its Western Athletic Conference (WAC) opener 71-43 over Chicago State University (CSU) on Thursdsay at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
UTRGV (11-6, 1-0 WAC) is now off to the best 17-game start in program history, remaining one game ahead of last year's record-setting pace that saw the team finish with a program record .576 (19-14) winning percentage.
 
Junior Shawnte' Goff led UTRGV with 23 points five rebounds, six assists and two steals. Junior Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir posted her second double-double of the season with 11 points and a career-high tying 16 rebounds. Senior Mary Savoy scored 10 points with seven rebounds.
 
Kaylee Allen led CSU (0-15, 0-1 WAC) with 20 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
Goff hit a three and Savoy made a layup as UTRGV jumped out to a 5-0 lead.
 
CSU hit eight of its next 11 shots to go on a 22-7 run and take a 22-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
UTRGV opened the second quarter on an 11-2 run, capped by a three by sophomore Bernesha Peters, to pull within 24-23. Allen then hit two baksets and a free throw around a Goff three to put CSU up 29-26 at halftime.
 
CSU still led by three early in the third quarter at 31-28, but Kjartansdóttir  hit a jumper and scored all of her 11 points during a 35-5 run to put UTRGV up 63-36, pushing the game out of reach.
 
UTRGV outscored CSU 59-21 over the final three quarters.
 
With sophomore Idil Türk already on the court, freshman Tuana Dinç checked in with 1:44 remaining, marking the first time in NCAA history that there have been two Turkish-born players on the court at the same time for the same team and just the second time two Turkish-born players have ever been on the court at the same time. Türk is from Istanbul while Dinç is from Ankara.
 
UTRGV is back in action on Saturday at 7 p.m. when it hosts UMKC in a game that will be televised regionally on Spectrum Sports channel 323. Doors open at 6.

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