Texas Border Business
EDINBURG – In a game that featured 11 lead changes and nine ties in the second half, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women’s basketball team won its program record 10thconference game by beating Kansas City 67-64 on Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
UTRGV (16-12, 10-5 WAC) had never previously won more than nine conference games after doing so in 2014-15 and 2015-16 (9-5 each year).
UTRGV is now assured of either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. UTRGV can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win at California Baptist on Thursday at 9 p.m.
Playing in her final regular season home game, senior Quynne Hugginsscored 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-8 from behind the arc, with four rebounds. Sophomore Amara Grahamscored 11 points with three assists. Graduate student Madison Northcuttposted her 10thdouble-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Senior Nichele Hymanfinished with 10 points.
Ericka Mattingly led Kansas City (14-14, 8-7 WAC) with 26 points, nine rebounds, five assists,
UTRGV went 7-for-7 from behind the arc, including two threes each by Huggins, Hyman and senior Idil Türk, to build a 23-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Kansas City opened the second quarter on a 20-6 run to take a 33-29 lead.
Kansas City still led by four at 39-35 early in the third quarter, but Northcutt made a layup and two free throws as UTRGV scored six-straight points to take the lead.
The game stayed within one possession over the final 17:27.
Kansas City took its final lead at 64-63 on a Mattingly three with 48 seconds remaining. Northcutt answered with a layup 28 seconds later and Graham hit two free throws with 12 seconds left to complete the scoring.
 women's basketball team won.){kind=link}