LUBBOCK – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's basketball team fell 89-56 to Texas Tech University in the season opener on Wednesday at United Supermarkets Arena.
 
Sophomore Halie Jones led the Vaqueros (0-1) with 12 points and a pair of rebounds. Redshirt senior Amara Graham chipped in 10 points with two rebounds and two assists while senior Iva Belosevic added eight points and a team-high six rebounds. 
 
Texas Tech (1-0) had five players in double-figure scoring with Vivian Gray leading the way with 24 points and eight rebounds. Lexi Gordon and Alexis Tucker each added 18 points while Chrislyn Carr chipped in 15 points and Khyla Wade-Warren scored 10 points. 
 
Texas Tech jumped out to the quick lead before Jones got the Vaqueros on the board with a jump shot that made it 7-2. Texas Tech then scored six straight points to push its lead to 13-2 before back-to-back buckets by Belosevic and sophomore Sydney Cajero that got the Vaqueros within 13-6.
 
Later in the first, UTRGV scored five straight points after a jumper by Jones and junior Jessica Martino and a free throw by Graham to get within 18-11 but Texas Tech closed out the first with an 8-4 run to take the 26-15 lead. 
 
In the second quarter, Texas Tech scored the first nine points before a layup by Belosevic made it 34-17. Edinburg High alum freshman Brianna Sanchez recorded her first-career basket with 2:46 left in the half but Texas Tech answered with the final seven points to take the 47-22 lead into halftime. 
 
Jones knocked down a three-pointer to open the scoring for the Vaqueros in the second half that made it 51-25 Texas Tech. Sophomore Jena' Williams, making her UTRGV debut, knocked down a three-pointer with 3:49 left in the third to get within 63-35.
 
Redshirt freshman Payton Hicks and junior Jordan Lewis each scored five points in the fourth quarter as the Vaqueros outscored Texas Tech 19-18 to close out the game. 
 
The Vaqueros will be back in action on Monday when it visits UTSA at 7 p.m. 

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