Box Score AUSTIN, Texas – ERIKA ROUSCULP and MADDIE WHEELER both scored in doubles figures leading the Hilltoppers past the Hillcats 64-50 on Saturday afternoon at the Recreation and Convocation Center. Rousculp completed her fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. St. Edward's now improves to 6-0 (2-0 HC) on the season.
 
Head coach J.J. Riehl had this to say after the game, "This was a great team effort. We just didn't have it offensively in the first half, but when you take away the 10-0 run to start the game our defense was really good. We did a really good job of not allowing them to run their sets."
 
Rogers State started the game quick and scored the first 10 points of the contest taking the early 10-0 lead. Kat Brisbane broke the run with two foul shots. MILEKA LOYDRAKE and VALENCIA WHITE added two buckets cutting the lead to 10-6 with 14 minutes remaining.
 
Riehl was proud of the effort Brisbane displayed, "Kat's all around game was really good. She did some great things defensively that don't show up on the stat sheet."
 
It wasn't until the 6:00 minute mark in the first half that St. Edward's tied the game. Rousculp scored five straight points to help knot the game at 20. Loydrake gave St. Edward's their first lead shortly after Rousculp's five-point run. CASEY RILEY capped off the 9-0 run for St. Edward's with a lay-up. The Hilltoppers led, 24-20 with four minutes remaining.
 
The Hillcats closed the first half with a 5-0 run and took a slim 25-24 lead into the locker room. After outscoring St. Edward's 10-0, the Hilltoppers closed the first half on a 24-14 run.
 
St. Edward's came out of the locker room with a sense of urgency and took the lead on a 15-2 run through the first six minutes of the second half. Brisbane, Loydrake, Rousculp, and Wheeler all scored during the run that gave the Hilltoppers the 39-27 advantage.
 
Riehl added, "Offensively we got it going in the second half. We got out in transition and played our game and then got the ball inside and our bigs did a great job of converting."
 
Rousculp and Riley each scored a layup to increase the lead to 14 points with 12 minutes remaining. Rogers State responded with an 8-2 run and saw the Hilltopper lead fall to 46-40 with just over seven minutes left.
 
"Kat and Erika were really good the first 10 minutes of the second half," said Riehl. "They did a good job offensively and defensively. They dominated the glass and helped keep Rogers State six rebounds under their offensive rebound average."
 
With just under seven minutes remaining, Rousculp grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked it out to Riley who knocked down the bucket from downtown, pushing the lead back to nine. Wheeler all put sealed the game with her back-to-back three point baskets in a matter 30 seconds for the 60-44 lead with just less than 90 seconds left in the contest.
 
STEPHANIE DEKKERS sealed the victory with four straight foul shots and St. Edward's won its sixth straight, 64-50.
 
Riehl closed her statement; "This group showed me a lot this afternoon as I challenged them at halftime. They responded and that's what we needed to see."
 
The Hilltoppers will be back in action Tuesday as they host cross-town rival Huston-Tillotson at 6:00 p.m. The game will take place at the Recreation and Convocation Center on the St. Edward's campus. Live video and stats will be available through the Hilltopper athletic website.