Box Score

AUSTIN, Texas – Three Hilltoppers scored in double digits as the Hilltoppers defeated the Aggies of Panhandle State 67-57 Saturday afternoon at the Recreation and Convocation Center.
 
St. Edward's (11-7, 4-2 HC) jumped out to an early 10-0 lead during the first four minutes of action. DAWN KIEL and CASEY RILEY each had four points during the run for the Hilltoppers. Panhandle State didn't score its first bucket until the 15:45 mark of the first period.
 
The Hilltoppers extended their lead to 16-3 with a jumper by KELSEE BARR and two free throws from Kiel with 14:27 remaining.
 
ERIKA ROUSCULP connected on a lay-up that pushed the St. Edward's lead to 15 points with 11:32 remaining. It would be the biggest lead of the game for the Hilltoppers.
 
Panhandle State (4-14, 1-5 HC) responded with a 5-0 run that cut the lead to 10 points, 20-10 at the halfway mark of the period. Both teams exchanged buckets for the next five minutes until St. Edward's connected on multiple shots to push its lead back to 14 points at the 3:03 mark.
 
The Aggies mustered an 11-4 run to close out the first half and go into the break trailing only 34-27.
 
Whitley Coca and Meagan Bell scored eight-consecutive points to open the second half and cut the deficit 36-35. SARAH KENDRICK and Kiel had two layups to give the Hilltoppers a five-point cushion, 40-35.
 
Panhandle State took its first lead of the game with a trey from Coca with 11:19 remaining. The Aggies led, 47-45. VALENCIA WHITE was quick to respond with a three-point play that put the Hilltoppers ahead by one.
 
STEPHANIE DEKKERS extended the lead with a swish from downtown. CASEY RILEY added two free throws and St. Edward's was up by six at the 4:30 mark.
 
Barr sealed the win for the Hilltoppers by draining a three-point shot from the right corner putting St. Edwards up by 12 with just 1:30 remaining.
 
Barr led the Hilltoppers with 11 points. SARAH KENDRICK and Kiel each had 10 points. Riley finished with nine points and ERIKA ROUSCULP chipped in eight. White led the Hilltoppers for the second-straight game with eight rebounds.
 
The game concludes the first round of Heartland Conference action and St. Edward's currently sits in third place.
 
The Hilltoppers will be back in action on Saturday as they travel to McMurry. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. at the Kimbrell Arena on the McMurry campus. Although this is a Heartland Conference matchup, it will not count for the conference record as McMurry is in the transition phase. The Warhawks bested the Hilltoppers, 57-54, during their first matchup.