PHOENIX, Ariz. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's basketball team fell 83-73 to Grand Canyon University (GCU) in the series finale on Sunday at GCU Arena.
 
Graduate student Amara Graham led the Vaqueros (4-7, 0-2 WAC) with 21 points, her fifth 20-point game of the season, while grabbing six rebounds. Redshirt junior Burcu Soysal added 14 points with five rebounds. Junior Jordan Lewis just missed a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds. 
 
GCU (13-3, 5-1 WAC) 21 points and five rebounds from Katie Scott. Laura Piera scored 16 points with five rebounds and four assists. Ny'Dajah Jacksonchipped in with 15 points while Tiarra Brown scored 11 points. 
 
GCU came out and took the 7-2 lead after a three-pointer by Piera but the Vaqueros answered back with a 15-0 run as the offense got things going. The run started with a pair of free throws from Graham and was capped by a layup by junior Jessica Martinoas UTRGV held the 22-12 lead at the end of the first. 
 
In the second quarter, Soysal converted on a three-point play that made it 29-19 UTRGV with 7:26 left in the half. GCU put together a 9-2 run to get within 31-28 but a layup by Lewis at the buzzer gave UTRGV the 39-33 lead at the half. 
 
GCU's offense came alive in the third quarter as it scored the first nine points of the second half taking the 42-39 lead, which they would not relinquish the rest of the way. Soysal knocked down a couple of free throws and made a layup to get UTRGV within 53-46 but GCU pushed their lead back up to 58-46 after a layup by Piera with 3:34 left in the third. 
 
Sophomore Tiffany McGarity did her best to keep the Vaqueros in the game as she took a steal and converted the fast break layup to make it 66-59 but GCU took their biggest lead of the game at 75-61 after a couple of free throws by Scott keeping UTRGV at bay the rest of the way.  
 
UTRGV will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 12, when it hosts California Baptist at 1 p.m. at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. 
 
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UTRGV Athletics is capping capacity at the UTRGV Fieldhouse at 255 fans made up of current UTRGV students, season ticket holders, corporate partners, and families of student-athletes and coaches. Doors open at 12 p.m.
 
For more information about game day, visit GoUTRGV.com/game-day.