Las Vegas, NV - In its final game of the 2025 calendar year, the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's basketball team lost, 60-38, to the Tampa Spartans, wrapping up its competition at the D2 Holiday Hoops Classic.
Though the Javelinas turned the ball over just 10 times, a season low, the team struggled to score the ball, shooting below 30% from the field on their second and final day competing at the South Point Arena.
"We didn't make shots and got extremely stagnant," Head Coach
Michael Madrid said. "Didn't look to exploit gaps versus the zone. Tampa simply was able to match up. We tried to run a variety of things to get some movement, but at the end of the day, it comes down to shot makers. Your best defense is always to have a good offense and we didn't have that."
TAMUK jumped out of the gate red hot, scoring 10 straight points to begin the game. Buckets by redshirt junior forward
Kaylee Howell, redshirt junior guard
Kaycee Groves, and freshman guard
Landri Richey helped give the team a double-digit lead in just under four minutes. Tampa was quick to respond, ending the frame on a 21-2 run and capturing a healthy lead. The Javelinas then leaned on their patented defense, holding the Spartans to just five points on 2-of-13 shooting, but were unable to warm their offense back up to complement play on the other end, which held Tampa scoreless for more than five straight minutes of gametime to open up the second frame.
Howell's 13 points paced the squad, setting a new single-game career high. While Groves, the team's leading scorer, struggled offensively, she provided a huge boost defensively, collecting a career high four blocks, as well as a steal and tied sophomore forward
Thalia Daniels for the team lead with five rebounds.
The team will now have a two week break until its next games, with the new year bringing a return to Lone Star Conference play in the form of home contests with Cameron (Jan. 2, 5:30 p.m.) and Oklahoma Christian (Jan. 4, 1:00 p.m.).Â
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