The UTRGV women’s basketball team fought to the final whistle but fell, 62-53, to the Abilene Christian (ACU) Wildcats on Saturday in a Western Athletic Conference (WAC) game at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg.
Junior Iyana Dorsey led UTRGV (1-12, 0-4 WAC) with 21 points, knocking down three three-pointers and recording four steals. Junior Kade Hackerott tallied 12 points, six rebounds, a career-high six assists and two blocks. Sophomore Charlotte O’Keefe scored seven points and added five rebounds and two blocks.
Abilene Christian (6-6, 2-1 WAC) had three in double-digit scoring – Gracy Wernli (13), Addison Martin (12) and Payton Hull (10). Bella Earle had a game-high 10 rebounds while Martin tabbed eight.
The Vaqueros used their prowess from behind the arc to jump on top in the opening quarter. After falling behind 4-0, junior Arianna Sturdivantdrilled a three-pointer that sparked three consecutive possessions with a three-ball and a huge momentum swing. Dorsey found a hot spot on the court and hit back-to-back threes from deep, then deeper, cashing in possessions she helped UTRGV earn with solid defense.
The outside threat opened things up down low, leading to a trio of layups for UTRGV’s bigs and a 16-6 lead after O’Keefe hit a bucket through contact and added the free throw. Senior MeleKailahi joined the three-point party following a good pass from Hackerott and the advantage grew to 12 points. But the Wildcats responded well, making a few stops defensively and scoring on four consecutive trips to trim the deficit to 20-17 at the end of the first quarter.
After a solid offensive first quarter for both teams, the second quarter turned into a slugfest. Both teams played aggressive defense and had some offensive miscues, leading to them combining for just two points midway through the frame. Dorsey forced a slew of ACU turnovers and took her second steal straight to the hoop for the 22-17 lead. Hackerott swatted a nasty block to hype up her team.
The Wildcats ended their scoring drought with 4:42 remaining in the second quarter behind a three-pointer from Emma Troxell, then a free throw got ACU within one at 22-21. Hackerott was the catalyst to regrow the UTRGV lead to 24-21 and force a timeout, delivering a perfect rainbow pass to O’Keefe in the paint for a basket, then snatching a steal and making a layup.
Wernli hit a three-pointer to put the Wildcats on top, 27-26, for the first time since their two early buckets. Dorsey answered on the next possession, drilling a deep three from the edge of the Vaqueros logo at center court. The game was tied 29-29 at halftime.
O’Keefe got the scoring started in the third quarter with a jumper. Dorsey and Hackerott led a respectable defensive effort, forcing turnovers and keeping the Wildcats at bay to start the frame, but ACU reclaimed the lead, 34-33, following a three-pointer from Martin.
The Wildcats went up 39-35 with 3:30 to play in the third, but a clutch three-pointer from Kailahi trimmed the deficit. Hackerott added a three of her own late in the frame and Dorsey knocked down a floating jumper just before the buzzer, but UTRGV went to the fourth quarter trailing 44-43.
Sturdivant gave UTRGV the lead with an extra effort play, chasing down her own miss and making a layup. A pair of free throws by Hackerott knotted things up at 47-47, where the game stayed for over three minutes until a Wernli three gave the Wildcats the 50-47 advantage.
Dorsey got to the line and cut the deficit to one. UTRGV continued its solid defensive effort, seeing senior Zariah Sango body up her man and get a block. But the Wildcats took control in the final three minutes, hitting a pair of threes and forcing UTRGV turnovers to extend the lead to 56-49.
Dorsey delivered two quick layups in the final minute to keep the Vaqueros fighting to the final whistle, but the Wildcats held on for the win.
Up next for the Vaqueros is a road WAC matchup against Seattle at 9 p.m. Thursday.
