KINGSVILLE, Texas – Angelica Wilson totaled nine points and also grabbed eight rebounds, but the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball took a 54-45 loss to the St. Edward's Hilltoppers on Saturday afternoon at the Steinke Physical Education Center in Kingsville, Texas.
The Javelinas posted a better shooting percentage than their visitors, shooting 36% to the Hilltoppers' 32% and also outrebounded their opponents, 37-34.
FIRST QUARTER
After a layup by Ope Ibrahim started the scoring, Angelica Wilson added a jumper and then converted a three-point play to give the Javelinas an early 7-0 edge. After a Lexi Cunningham jumper got the Hilltoppers on the board, Victoria Salinas hit a trey and a layup by Kristina Kana pushed TAMUK's lead to 10. St. Edwards moved to within seven, but a layup by Brynae Thompson made the score 14-5 and a pair of Javelina free throws put TAMUK up by 11 after one.
SECOND QUARTER
The lead for the home team quickly increased to 13 thanks to a jumper by Emmeri Archer, but St. Edwards then began to chip away. Two Bailey Hill free throws were followed by a jumper by Isabel Hernandez and a layup courtesy of Greta Kairyte. Two Cunningham layups sandwiched around an Archer free throw brought the Hilltoppers to within four. After a TAMUK foul shot made the score 20-15, the teams traded makes before Cunningham canned a trey.
Kristina Kana proceeded to knock down two straight shots, the second of which from long range, and the Javs moved back up by seven. Hernandez drained a jumper and when Madison Schenck tacked on a triple, the Hilltoppers were within a pair and after each side added two, the squads headed to halftime with the score 29-27.
THIRD QUARTER
A jumper by Hill was answered by an Ope Ibrahim layup, but Cunningham, who ended the day with a game-high 18, converted a three-point play to put St. Edwards ahead by one. Haley Joly tacked on a jumper and each team scored a deuce to keep the separation at four. Free throws by the Hilltoppers pushed the lead to 40-33. The deficit for the Javs was the same as the quarter neared a close, but last second layup by Angelica Wilson moved the home team to within five at 44-39.
FOURTH QUARTER
Each team scored to begin the final period and what followed was scoring drought of more than three minutes before another Wilson layup sliced St. Edward's lead to three. With 3:15 to play, Archer moved the Javelinas to within one, but it was the last time they would score. An 8-0 run to close out the game by the Hilltoppers enabled them to hold on for the win.
On the fourth day of the new year, the Hoggies will visit Texas A&M-Commerce for a 5:30 p.m. battle with the Lions. To receive content for Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball, follow @TAMUKWBB on Twitter and Instagram, likie the official Facebook page of Javelina athletics (/JavelinaSports), and subscribe to the Javelina Athletics YouTube channel.
