Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – 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 scored nine-straight points as part of a 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. Current UTRGV students get free general admission with a UTRGV student ID. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at UTRGVTickets.com. Fans purchasing their tickets online prior to game day can save up to $2 per ticket. The party starts at Vaquero Village at 10:30 a.m.
 Vaqueros women's basketball team hit half of its shots to beat the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners 74-65 on Thursday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.){kind=link}