Texas Border Business
TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women’s basketball team fell 63-56 to the #21 University of South Florida Bulls to open the season on Tuesday at Yuengling Center.
Graduate student Taylor Muff led the Vaqueros (0-1) with 15 points, on 6-of-9 shooting including 3-of-5 from three-point range, while grabbing nine rebounds. Sophomore Maria Llorente added 10 points with three rebounds and sophomore Halie Jones added nine points.
Elena Tsineke led the Bulls (1-0) with a game-high 18 points while Sydni Harvey added 13 points. Dulcy Mendjiadeu Fankam chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds.
The Bulls grabbed the early lead scoring the first 10 points of the game before a three-pointer by Muff got the Vaqueros on the board. Later in the first, the Bulls pushed their lead to 18-6 after a layup by Pinzan but sophomore Tiffany McGarity got the Vaqueros within 18-11 after a three-pointer and layup.
In the second quarter, the Bulls extended their lead to 28-14 after a three-pointer by Tsineke with 7:03 left in the first half but the Vaqueros chipped away behind a three-pointer by sophomore Jena’ Williams followed by a jumper from Muff. The Vaqueros got within 34-27 to close out the half after jumpers by Llorente and Jones.
Sophomore Sara Bershers got the Vaqueros within 34-30 with a three-point play to open the second half but the Bulls pushed their lead to 41-30 with a 7-0 run that was capped by a three-pointer by Tsineke. The Vaqueros hung around in the third quarter as a layup by Llorente made it 47-41 with 3:20 left in the quarter.
In the fourth, Jones opened with a three-pointer but an 8-0 run gave the Bulls the 63-50 with 4:23 left to play. The Vaqueros answered with a 6-0 run to close out the game as freshman Arianna Sturdivant and Llorente hit three layups and a free throw to close out the scoring.
The Vaqueros will be back in action on Sunday, November 14, when they head to Corpus Christi to face the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders at 2 p.m., as part of the South Texas Showdown, presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union, at the Dugan Wellness Center.
