NACOGDOCHES – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's basketball team was tied with the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks at 55-55 minutes into the fourth quarter but fell 79-69 on Thursday at William R. Johnson Coliseum.
The Vaqueros (1-11, 0-3 WAC) had five players in double-figure scoring as they were led by junior
Arianna Sturdivant who scored a career-high 20 points behind four three-pointers and five rebounds. Freshman
Jayda Holiman scored a career-high 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Junior
Kade Hackerott also scored 13 points with eight rebounds. Senior
Zariah Sango and junior
Tierra Trotter each added 10 points and six rebounds.
The Lumberjacks (9-5, 3-0 WAC) were led by Zoe Nelson who recorded a double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Lydia Cooke-Wiggins and Destini Lombard each scored 13 points while Kurstyn Harden added 12 points and Tyler McCliment-Call scored 11 points.
The Vaqueros grabbed the early lead after back-to-back layups from senior
Zariah Sango to open the scoring in the first quarter. The Lumberjacks answered with a 13-0 run before Sturdivant hit her first three-pointer of the night.
Later in the first, SFA took a 15-7 lead on a Zoe Nelson layup but UTRGV answered with a 10-0 run that started with a three-pointer from senior
Mele Kailhai and ended with another three from Sturdivant giving UTRGV the 17-15 lead.
UTRGV, who finished the game with a season-high nine three-pointers, used four in the second quarter to keep the game close. Sturdivant got UTRGV's scoring going with a three that cut into the SFA lead 21-20. Another Sturdivant three-pointer made it 25-20 SFA with just under seven minutes in the half and then later Holiman knocked down a three that made it 32-28. Trotter hit a three-pointer to get UTRGV within 36-33 with 1:58 to play in the half but it was SFA that took the 40-35 lead into the locker room.
The second half was a battle as the Vaqueros got within 44-41 after a layup by Sango. Later a three-pointer by McCliment-Call pushed the SFA lead to 48-43 but UTRGV got a jumper from Trotter that kicked started a 9-0 run giving the Vaqueros the 52-48 lead.
The Lumberjacks answered with a 7-0 run of their own as they took the 55-53 lead into the fourth. Hackerott tied the game with a jumper to start the fourth, but the Lumberjacks went on an 8-2 run to take the lead for good.
The Vaqueros got within 65-64 after a three-pointer from Holiman but SFA converted their free throws down the stretch to put the game away.
The Vaqueros return to the UTRGV Fieldhouse on Saturday at 2 p.m. when they host Abilene Christian University.
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