BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's basketball team couldn't survive a late surge by CSU Bakersfield as it fell 68-63 on Thursday at the Icardo Center.
 
Senior Quynne Huggins led the way for UTRGV (7-8, 1-1 WAC) with 14 points and six rebounds. Graduate student Madison Northcutt, senior Krisynthia Sampson, and junior Makaela Mosley added seven points each.
 
Ashley Austin paced CSU Bakersfield (6-10, 2-1 WAC) with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Alexxus Gilbert and Vanessa Austin each added 12 points.
 
UTRGV led by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter after a three-pointer by junior Megan Johnson made it 52-42 but CSU Bakersfield went on a 12-2 run to tie the game. Both teams exchanged baskets before a layup by Jerice Fears gave CSU Bakersfield the 58-56 lead.
 
CSU Bakersfield pushed their lead to 63-59 but a layups by Johnson and senior Idil Türk tied the game at 63-63 but TURGV was without any points over the final 1:41.
 
CSU Bakersfield jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead before Northcutt got UTRGV on the board with a jumper with 7:29 left in the first quarter.
 
Later in the first quarter, Huggins knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game at 8-8. UTRGV then followed with an 11-4 run to take the 19-12 lead to close out the first quarter.
 
In the second quarter, both teams exchanged points as each one scored 15 points. CSU Bakersfield didn't allow UTRGV to run away with the game as a three-pointer by senior Nichele Hyman extended the lead to 25-17 before Austin answered with a basket of her own with 5:32 left in the half.
 
CSU Bakersfield got layups from Gilbert and another from Austin to get within 28-23 with 4:09 left in the half. UTRGV pushed back with a 6-2 run capped by a layup from senior Jameka Dowell to extend its lead to 34-25 before another layup by Austin closed out the scoring in the first half making it 34-27.
 
Huggins opened the second half with a three-pointer before CSU Bakersfield on a 6-0 to get back within 37-33. UTRGV kept CSU Bakersfield at bay through the third quarter as it headed into the fourth quarter with a 49-42 lead.
 
UTRGV will be back in action on Saturday when it faces Grand Canyon at 3 p.m. at GCU Arena.

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