EDINBURG –The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's basketball team won the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) opener 60-56 over California Baptist University (CBU) on Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
Senior Krisynthia Sampson led UTRGV (7-7, 1-0 WAC) with 14 points, eight rebounds and one block.Graduate student Madison Northcutt posted her fifth double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Senior Megan Johnson scored nine points with five rebounds and one block. Senior Quynne Huggins scored seven points with seven rebounds.
 
Britney Thomas led CBU (6-8, 0-2 WAC) with 15 points and five rebounds. Caitlyn Harper scored 12 points with nine rebounds and three blocks.Delacy Brown scored 10 points with three steals.

CBU hit three baskets in the first minute to take a 7-0 lead. Then, with the score 9-2, back-to-back Sampson layups and a three by senior Idil Türk allowed UTRGV to tie the game.
 
UTRGV took its first lead at 14-13 on a three by senior Nichele Hyman late in the first quarter before CBU went on a 10-0 run to take its largest lead at 23-14.
 
Senior Jameka Dowell responded with a three to spark a 17-3 run as UTRGV hit seven of its next 13 shots, including a trio of threes, to take a 31-26 halftime lead.
 
UTRGV pushed its lead to seven twice at the start of the third, including 35-28 on a Northcutt layup.
 
A four-point play by Brown sparked a 14-5 run to put CBU up 42-40 before two jumpers and two free throws by Sampson powered a 17-3 run to give UTRGV a 57-45 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
 
UTRGV is back in action on Thursday at 9 p.m. at CSU Bakersfield.

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