KINGSVILLE, Texas — The St. Mary's University Women's Basketball team led wire-to-wire at Texas A&M-Kingsville, posting a 20-point victory on Saturday afternoon, 59-39.
The Rattlers (12-7, 7-6) shot a season-best 55.6 percent from the field, hitting 25-of-45 from the floor, and they attempted a season-low four free throws in a total team effort.
Junior
Allie Garcia (Adelaide, South Australia) led the team with 11 points and four assists, while sophomore
Christin Callens (Houston) added 10, and sophomore
Raynne Malik (London, Ontario) tied for game-high honors with five rebounds. Seven different Rattlers scored four or more points on the day.
The first quarter began with senior and former Javelina (5-15, 5-9)
Aina Maynou (Cabrera de Mar, Sparin) securing a defensive rebound and then converting a layup to put St. Mary's on the board. They quickly extended their lead to 6-0 with layups from Callens and
Quezia Bertoni (Sao Paulo, Brazil). TAMUK responded with a pair of free throws, and narrowed the gap late in the quarter with a three-pointer by Addisyn Parker, and a layup followed by a three-pointer from Jadeyn Perez, making it 11-10.
In the second quarter, St. Mary's extended its lead with a commanding offensive performance, outscoring the Javelinas 15-5. Garcia kicked off the scoring with a layup at 9:41, and ended the period with six of her team-high 11 points. The Rattlers capitalized on turnovers, with
Imani Ivery (Houston) and Bertoni each adding layups following TAMUK turnovers. The StMU defense held the Javelinas to 1-for-12 from the field in the quarter.
Kaycee Groves led the Hogs with a strong third quarter, contributing 11 points, including three three-pointers. The Rattlers responded by focusing on defensive plays and capitalizing on turnovers, with Malik adding critical points in the paint. TAMUK closed the quarter with Groves hitting a jumper at the buzzer, narrowing the deficit to 37-32.
StMU extended its lead in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Hogs 22-7. Bertoni initiated the scoring with two successful free throws at 9:44.
Tiara Louis (San Antonio) contributed a crucial three-pointer at 6:19, increasing their margin.
Lena Newby (Cibolo, Texas) scored both a layup and a three-pointer, with the latter occurring at 1:10, maintaining their advantage.
Brianna Vargas (El Paso, Texas) capped off the scoring with a three-pointer, ending the game at 59-39.
The Rattlers head up the road to play in the Battle of the Saints on Monday at St. Edward's. First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m. The Hilltoppers defeated Texas A&M International on Saturday in Laredo, 72-68.
