SEATTLE, Wash. – Junior Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir hit a layup at the buzzer to send The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's basketball team to a 58-57 victory over Seattle U on Saturday at the Connolly Complex.
 
UTRGV (17-11, 7-5 WAC) trailed by one with three seconds left when Kjartansdóttir forced a jump ball to give UTRGV possession. Senior Shawnte' Goff drove to the lane for a layup but missed, setting up an offensive rebound and a putback by Kjartansdóttir to win the game.
 
Kjartansdóttir finished with 14 points and eight rebounds.
 
Goff led UTRGV by posting her third double-double of the season with 17 points and a career-high tying 12 rebounds. Sophomore Bernesha Peters scored 16 points with five rebounds and three assists.
 
Alexis Montgomery led Seattle U (12-15, 9-3 WAC) with 14 points and nine rebounds. Kaylee Best scored 12 points with five rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Wilma Afunugo scored 11 points with seven rebounds.
 
UTRGV led by as many as eight, going up 17-9 on a pair of Peters free throws that capped a 7-0 run late in the first quarter.
 
Seattle U responded with an 18-5 run over the first seven minutes of the second to go up 27-22 on a Best three.
 
Seattle U took its largest lead at 33-26 on a Shaylin Heredia three-point play with 39 seconds left in the quarter.
 
UTRGV started chipping away in the third, tying the game at 38 on a Peters layup and then again at 41 on a three by sophomore Nichele Hyman.
 
UTRGV regained the lead midway through the fourth when Peters hit three-straight baskets to make it 54-51.
 
Montgomery used a pair of layups to help Seattle U go back on top before Goff tied the game at 56 with a pair of free throws with 1:29 to go.
 
Montgomery went 1-for-2 from the line with 41 seconds left to give Seattle U its final lead.
 
UTRGV is back in action on Saturday at 4 p.m. when it visits Utah Valley. With a victory, UTRGV head coach Larry Tidwell will tie the program record for wins of 70 currently held by DeAnn Craft (2003-09).

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