The UTRGV women’s basketball team had the final shot to tie the game but fell 66-63 to the Texas State Bobcats on Friday at the Strahan Arena at the University Events Center in San Marcos.
The Vaqueros (0-3) were led by junior Iyana Dorsey who led all scorers with 24 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior Kade Hackerott recorded her first double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds and sophomore Charlotte O’Keefe added 12 points with four rebounds.
The Bobcats (3-0) got 19 points from Ja’Niah Henson and 13 points and eight rebounds from Timi Jefferson. Beth Gara Self, Jaylin Foster, and Tiffany Tullis each added seven points.
The Vaqueros and Bobcats went back-and-forth early in the first quarter as a layup from junior Kade Hackerott gave UTRGV the 4-2 lead, but Texas State answered with a 5-0 to take the 4-7 lead. Dorsey then converted on a three-point play to tie the game at 7-7 with 5:13 left in the quarter.
After a couple of free throws from graduate student Ashton McCorry tied the game at 12-12, the Bobcats put together a 12-2 run that stretched into the second quarter pushing their lead to 24-14. The Vaqueros battled back with a 13-5 run of their own that was highlighted by three three-pointers to tie the game at 29-29 with 3:34 left in the half.
Both teams exchanged leads in the final minutes, but it was Texas State that took the 35-33 lead into halftime.
In the second half, the Bobcats used a 12-3 run to take the 50-41 lead but used the free throw line to climb back into the game as they made six free throws, including four from Hackerott, down the stretch of the third quarter to make it 50-47.
The Vaqueros kept clawing their way through the fourth quarter as they battle foul trouble. UTRGV got a three-pointer from Hackerott to opening the scoring in the final frame and then got a jumper from Dorsey that made it 54-52.
The Bobcats pushed their lead to 58-52 with 7:12 left to play but the Vaqueros countered with a 6-0 run as they tied the game at 58-58 on a layup from O’Keefe. Texas State answered with a 6-0 run of their own before a three-pointer from Dorsey and another layup from O’Keefe to get within 64-63 but a layup from Henson made it 66-63. Senior Mele Kailahi had a final look but it was off the mark.
The Vaqueros will be back in action on Sunday when they visit Incarnate Word at 2 p.m. at McDermott Center in San Antonio.
