LAREDO, Texas – Despite a career-high 14 rebounds from Ope Ibrahim, the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball team (3-6, 0-2) fell just short against the Texas Women's University Pioneers (4-3, 1-1), 50-48, at Kitty Magee Arena in Laredo, Texas on Saturday.
The Javelinas outshot their hosts from the floor, from the free throw line and from beyond the arc, where Wade Scott saw his charges convert on five of their nine attempts.
The Hoggies also won the battle inside, outscoring the Pioneers 18-14 in the paint and grabbing one more rebound.
FIRST QUARTER
Six of the game's first seven points were scored by the Javelinas. The first three came courtesy of Angelica Wilson and Victoria Salinas added to that with a trey. A jumper by Grace Mitchell and a layup by Alexis Nezianya moved the Pioneers to within one, but the Javs responded with a bucket by Emmeri Archer and a three from Brynae Thompson to move in front by five.
TWU's offense got hot at the end of the quarter and went on a 10-2 run to take a three-point lead. The rally was capped off by a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Desiree Phipps.
SECOND QUARTER
The second period started with the teams trading scores and the Javelinas tied things up just over 90 seconds in, with a layup by Madison Crawford knotting things at 18. Phipps replied with another three and three points from Whitney Apari pushed TWU's lead to six. That edge grew to 11 as a result of a 12-1 spurt, but the Javelinas followed with a run of their own. Four points by Antoinette Shrepee and a trey by Sadie Russell helped forge a 9-3 run and Hoggies trailed at the half by only five, 33-28.
THIRD QUARTER
A triple by Salinas and a jumper by Ibrahim immediately tied the game, but five straight points by the Pioneers restored the same lead they enjoyed at halftime. Apari pushed that lead to seven with a layup.
Following more than three minutes of scoreless basketball, Apari sank two foul shots with 1:46 to play in the quarter, giving her squad its first double-digit lead of the day. Kristina Kana provided the final points of the quarter with seven seconds left, hitting a pair from the charity stripe.
FOURTH QUARTER
The final 10 minutes began with Russell splashing a triple and Shrepee added a layup with 8:23 to play. When Russell tossed in another bucket with 7:51 on the clock, TAMUK was within one at 43-42.
Nezianya proceeded to hit a jumper to make the Pioneers' lead three points and each side added two to make the score 47-44. Once again, the teams went back-and-forth for three minutes before points were again added to the scoreboard. A three-point play by Ibrahim tied the score, but a single free throw from Apari gave TWU the slimmest of leads.
The score stood frozen at 48-47 until 52 seconds remained, when Wilson hit one-of-two foul shots to even the score again. After Wilson missed the second free throw, TAMUK grabbed the rebound, but a steal by K.J. Stastny gave the Pioneers an opportunity and they took advantage. A layup by Mitchell with six seconds left proved to be the winning basket, sending the Javelinas to their fourth straight defeat.
The next time Kingsville steps on the court, it will be at home on Thursday, when Cameron visits the Steinke Physical Education Center. The tip-off is set for 5:15 p.m. You can receive content for Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball by following @TAMUKWBB on Twitter and Instagram, liking the official Facebook page of Javelina athletics (/JavelinaSports), and subscribing to the Javelina Athletics YouTube channel.
