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EDINBURG – Playing host to a Pac-12 opponent for the first time in program history, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's basketball team closed out non-conference play with a 71-64 loss to the University of Southern California (USC), a team receiving votes in the latest national polls and ranked 25^th in the latest NCAA RPI, on Wednesday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse during the final day of the UTRGV Holiday Classic.
 
Graduate student and Weslaco alum Laura Van Tilburg and juniors Krisynthia Sampson and Jameka Dowell earned All-Tournament Team honors. During the tournament, Van Tilburg averaged 14.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Sampson averaged 11.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Dowell averaged 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
 
In this game, Van Tilburg led UTRGV (10-5) with a career-high 18 points, 10 rebounds (five offensive) and two steals for her third double-double. Sampson scored a career-high 17 points with eight rebounds and a career-high tying four assists. Junior Jameka Dowell scored 12 points with four assists.
 
Sadie Edwards led USC (10-1) with 23 points while hitting six three-pointers. Kristen Simon scored 17 points with 12 rebounds. Aliyah Mazyck scored 12 points with four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Minyon Moore scored 10 points with four rebounds and three steals.
 
Junior Quynne Huggins hit a jumper in the opening minute, but Edwards hit a layup and two three-pointers to power a 12-0 run that put USC up 12-2.
 
USC still led by 10 at 22-12 early in the second quarter when a Dowell three sparked a 9-1 run to bring UTRGV within 23-21.
 
UTRGV got as close as 31-30 on a Sampson layup with 7:36 left in the third quarter, but USC scored the next 13 points as part of a 19-1 run to go up 50-31.
 
Then, with the score 53-34, Van Tilburg made a pair of baskets, Dowell knocked down a layup, and Sampson hit back-to-back three-pointers to bring UTRGV within seven.
 
UTRGV was still within seven at 60-53 with 4:42 remaining after a Sampson layup, but that's as close as UTRGV got.
 
UTRGV opens up Western Athletic Conference play on Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. against UMKC during Winter Texan Appreciation Night at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. All Winter Texans in attendance will receive free popcorn and the first 200 Winter Texans in attendance will receive a giveaway item. There will be exclusive raffles throughout the night. Doors open at 6.

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