UTRGV Women Defeat Cal State Bakersfield 74-65
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EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's basketball team hit half of its shots to beat the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners 74-65 on Thursday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
The Vaqueros (12-15, 7-7 WAC) went 29-for-58 from the field, including 10-for-21 (47.6 percent) from downtown. This is the second time the Vaqueros have shot 50 percent from the field in Western Athletic Conference (WAC) play this season after previously doing so on Jan. 11 at Chicago State. This was the Vaqueros’ best three-point shooting performance in a WAC game this season.
Junior Trelynn Tyler led the Vaqueros with 27 points while hitting a career-high five three-pointers for the second-straight game to go with six assists and three steals. Junior Amara Graham scored 12 points with five assists. Junior Brownsville Saint Joseph alum Valeria Tapia scored 10 points with five rebounds and four assists. Sophomore Ashlei Lopez scored 10 points with five rebounds. Graduate student Desirea Buerge finished with nine points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Jayden Eggleston led the ‘Runners (15-12, 7-7 WAC) with 14 points, six rebounds and three steals. Miracle Saxon scored 12 points with five steals. Vanessa Austin finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Vaqueros led twice in the opening minutes, at 3-2 on a Graham three and 5-4 on a Tapia jumper. The game stayed tight for the rest of the quarter, with the Vaqueros tying the game at 21 on a Tyler three early in the second.
The ‘Runners scored the next seven points before a Tyler jumper and layups by Buerge, freshman Iva Belosevic and Lopez put the Vaqueros up 29-28.
Two baskets later, with the score tied at 31, the ‘Runners went on an 11-0 run to take a 42-31 lead early in the third quarter.
The Vaqueros responded by scoring the next seven points as part of a 17-6 run, capped by a Lopez jumper, to tie the game at 48.
The ‘Runners regained the lead at 54-51 before a pair of Tyler threes sandwiched a layup and a free throw by Buerge to restore the Vaqueros’ lead.
Then, with the Vaqueros’ lead cut to 62-61, a Graham three helped the Vaqueros score nine-straight points as part of an 12-2 run to push the game out of reach.
UTRGV plays its final home game on Saturday at 12 p.m. against Grand Canyon. There will be a special pregame ceremony honoring the graduating senior class.
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's basketball team fell to the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners 79-59 on Thursday at the Icardo Center.
UTRGV (12-16, 7-7 WAC) is now tied with Grand Canyon (7-7 WAC) and a half game behind Seattle U (7-6 WAC) in the race for the No. 2 seed in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. UTRGV visits Grand Canyon on Saturday at 7 p.m. while Seattle U visits California Baptist an hour later.
Senior Lesley Varner II led the Vaqueros with 18 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Junior Javon Levi scored 15 points with three rebounds, three assists and one steal. Junior Chris Freeman finished with 11 points and five rebounds.
Shawn Stith led the ‘Runners (12-17, 6-8 WAC) with 21 points. Taze Moore scored 18 points with four rebounds and three assists. De’Monte Buckingham scored 15 points with five rebounds. Czar Perry finished with 12 points, three assists and three steals.
The ‘Runners jumped out to a 21-5 lead over the first 10:15. Varner and Levi responded with consecutive jumpers as the Vaqueros scored six of the next eight points.
The Vaqueros got as close as 12 at 34-22 on a pair of free throws by junior Rob McClain Jr. with 2:01 remaining in the first, but the ‘Runners scored the final 10 points of the half to go up 44-22.
Levi started the second half with a three as the Vaqueros scored the first eight points to pull within 44-30.
Then, with the score 50-33, Varner made a jumper and Freeman hit a layup to bring the Vaqueros within 50-37.
The Vaqueros were again as close as 14 at 55-41 on a Levi layup with 11:02 to go, but the ‘Runners scored the next six points as part of a 12-4 run to restore their 22-point lead and push the game out of reach.
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