SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Women's Basketball) – The score wasn't indicative of how close Wednesday's game was between Texas A&M University-Kingsville (5-3) and St. Mary's University (5-1) at the Bill Greehey Arena. Ashley Viera came off the bench to score 12 points, going a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range in a battle between the No. 10 (Javelinas) and No. 9 (Rattlers) in the D2SIDA South Central Regional rankings that ultimately went to the Rattlers, 71-63.
 
Defensive shined early with blocks by Lily Hospers, Kaylee Kana and Jamesha Wade and a steal by Hospers pacing the Javelinas to a 13-5 lead with 4:00 minutes left in the opening period. However, the Rattlers silenced the strong start, responding with seven unanswered points to make it a 13-12 ballgame with 2:15 remaining in the first. StMU continued its run, closing out the period on a 12-1 run to take a 17-14 lead into the second.
 
The Rattler lead extended to five before the Hogs scored eight unanswered, six by Viera from three-point range, allowing the Hogs to regain their lead, 22-19, with 7:01 remaining in the first half. The treys continued to fall for Texas A&M-Kingsville as Kaylin Roher and TaSheena Moore dialed in from long distance to give TAMUK a 30-24 edge at the 4:46 mark in the second period. At the half, the Javelinas held a slim margin, 34-28, over StMU. In the half, Kingsville hit five three-pointers, three by Viera as she and Moore led all scorers with nine. They combined to go 7-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from behind-the-arc. Kyra Bauer dished out three assists in 10 minutes of action and Hospers and Joslyn Smith each pulled down four rebounds.
 
A back and forth third period featured Texas A&M-Kingsville scoring six unanswered to take a 48-46 lead with 1:44 remaining in the frame but StMU was able to close out the third with back-to-back three's and a free throw to carry a 53-48 lead into the fourth.
 
After scoring the quarter's first points at the 8:58 mark, Viera drained her fourth triple of the evening to make it a two-point contest and Smith's layup with 6:35 knotted the regional bout at 55. A three-pointer by Roher with 6:04 remaining gave the Javelinas another lead, this time 58-56, but the Rattlers were able to once again tie the game as the final five minutes of regulation would decide the winner.
 
A three by Wade off the rebound by Bauer put StMU behind by three with 3:57 left to play but Kiara Etheridge took over for the Rattlers, scoring back-to-back buckets to put St. Mary's up by one with 2:35 remaining. The Rattlers were able to add a cushion and defeat the Javelinas, 71-63.
 
Roher and Wade each scored 12 points, Smith pulled down a team-high seven rebounds and Bauer added six off the bench. Kana finished with a career best three blocked shots. For StMU, three players reached double figures, led by Dezirae Elias' 14 points. Etheridge registered a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds and Field added four steals.
 
The Javelinas return to Gil E. Steinke Physical Education Center-Kingsville Hampton Inn Court  to host Our Lady of the Lake University on Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
Live stats and a free video stream will be available for Saturday's game and can be accessed by visiting JavelinaAthletics.com, the official home of Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball.
 
For full coverage of Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball, please follow @TAMUKWBB on Twitter and @JavelinaSports on Instagram, like the official Facebook page of Javelina women's basketball (/JavelinaWBB) and subscribe to the JavelinaAthletics YouTube channel.