The UTRGV women’s basketball team led wire-to-wire to knock off the Stephen F. Austin ‘Jacks 62-49 in front of 1,497 fans as part of Mission CISD night on Thursday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg.
Junior Kade Hackerott led the Vaqueros (5-16, 4-8 WAC) by her recording her fourth double-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and one block. Junior Iyana Dorsey scored 15 points with two assists. Junior Arianna Sturdivant finished with eight points. Senior Zariah Sango anchored the defense with a season-high four blocks and a career-high tying seven rebounds.
Kurstyn Harden led the ‘Jacks (15-8, 9-3 WAC) with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and one block.
The Vaqueros opened the game on a 9-1 run, highlighted by a deep Dorsey 3 that was met with a roar by the Mission CISD students.
Leading 12-6, Dorsey drove the lane, finished through contact, and converted a free throw to give the Vaqueros their largest lead of the quarter at 15-6.
The Vaqueros opened the second quarter on an 8-0 run, capped by 3-pointers by Sturdivant and graduate student Ashton McCorry. The ‘Jacks, however, responded with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to five.
Sturdivant’s second 3 of the quarter and a Sango turnaround jump shot sparked the Vaqueros to a 9-3 run to close out the half with a 35-24 lead.
The ‘Jacks came out of the locker room firing, going on a 12-3 run that was interrupted by a 3 by freshman Jayda Holiman.
The ‘Jacks got as close as 38-36 before O’Keefe made a layup and Dorsey hit a 3 to put the Vaqueros up seven.
The ‘Jacks pulled within two once more at 43-41, but the Vaqueros scored the final three points of the third quarter and 10 of the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to take a 56-42 lead and push the game out of reach.
The Vaqueros are back in action at Abilene Christian at 7 p.m. next Thursday in Abilene.
