LAREDO, Texas – It took the St. Mary's Women's Basketball team just a bit too long to thaw out from the frozen drive to Laredo as they dropped a 76-64 decision at Texas A&M International on Thursday evening.
The Rattlers (2-17, 1-7 Lone Star) outscored the Dust Devils (13-6, 4-4 LSC) 49-39 in the second half and a big reason for the comeback was junior
Sydney Hardeman (Allen, Texas). After scoring just three points in the first half, Hardeman exploded in the second stanza, scoring 28 for a career-high 31. She was 5-for-7 from deep in the third quarter alone.
Hardeman shattered the St. Mary's single game record for three-pointers in a game with her 9-for-15 performance. The previous record was six, accomplished 10 times by eight different players – including Hardeman against these same Dust Devils when the clubs met back in December. Her 15 attempts also ties her own school record for most in a game and her 31 points ties for the 11th most in single game history.
Senior forward
Hannah Wilson (Fredericksburg, Texas) added 11 points and led the team with six rebounds, despite playing only 23 minutes due to foul trouble. Freshman forward
Faith Phillips (San Marcos, Texas) chipped in nine points and five rebounds, while Hardeman and sophomore
Bella Hughes (Argyle, Texas) also grabbed five boards.
St. Mary's dug themselves a big hole, scoring just four points in the first quarter and turning the ball over 20 times in the first half, but they bounced back in the second half extremely well, turning the ball over half as many times. The team started the game just 1-for-10 from the field, but finished 23-for-46 (50 percent).
Rai Brown paced the Dust Devils with 25 points, while Evelyn Quiroz added 20 and Clara Fernandez posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. TAMIU managed to outrebound the Rattlers, 34-to-32.
The Rattlers hit 13 triples on the night, tying for the second-most in single game history. It is the first time this year the club has managed double digits from beyond the arc.
The Gold and Blue remain on the road, playing at Texas A&M Kingsville on Saturday at 2 p.m. The team then returns home for a Monday make-up tilt against UT Permian Basin at 2 p.m.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES
- The 25 points scored by Sydney Hardeman in the second half are the most for a Rattler this season, surpassing the 21 Hannah Wilson scored in the second stanza against Minnesota State on Nov. 27. Hardeman's 15 points in the third quarter also tie Wilson for the highest total, as Wilson scored 15 in the third against Saint Martin's on Nov. 23.
- Freshman guard Sarai Estupiñan (Cedar Park, Texas) made her return to the lineup after missing the last five contests for the Rattlers. She scored six and added five assists in 19 minutes of play.
- The 13 three-pointers by StMU ties for the second-most in single game history and is one off the all-time mark of 14 done by the 2019 team at UT Tyler.
- In two games this season against Texas A&M International, Sydney Hardman has 15 three-pointers and 49 points. Hardeman's nine three-pointers are also tied for the most made in the Lone Star this season.
- The Rattlers continued to share the ball extremely well, recording 19 assists on 24 baskets in the game, including 5-for-6 in the first half.
