AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's University Women's Basketball (1-0) started its regular season on a winning note with a 60-50 victory over Southwestern Christian (2-3) on Friday night in the Recreation and Convocation Center.
The game was highlighted by a team effort from the Hilltoppers as three individuals scored in double digits.
ABBY HOPPER led the way with 13 points while
MILEKA LOYDRAKE and
BAILEY HILL each added 11.
SHAKERA BARNES provided six crucial assists and six steals from
KHIANI CLARK capped off a quality defensive outing.
"The staff and I are pleased to have earned the win tonight. We were happy with our energy and effort overall," said head coach J.J. Riehl. "However, we need to do a better job of paying attention to the details for the whole 40 minutes. We have the pieces to have a great year, but we must continue to improve on a daily basis."
Both teams got off a to a rocky start in the first quarter as the Eagles and Hilltoppers went a combined 0-2 from the field with three turnovers and two fouls in the first two minutes. Hill would open the scoring with a fastbreak layup at the 8:21 mark, and an 11-3 run would help the home team take a 13-9 lead into the break.
The second quarter of play would see St. Edward's outscore Southwestern Christian 22-14 and extend its lead all the way to 12. A Loydrake layup would make it 32-21, and a three-point basket from Hill sent the Toppers to the locker room with a 35-23 lead.
Another 17 points in the third quarter gave the Hilltoppers a commanding 17-point lead. The Eagles would attempt to rally in the fourth, outscoring St. Edward's 15-8, but it was too little too late, as coach Riehl would move to 4-0 all time in season openers.
The women next head to San Marcos for an exhibition game against Texas State on Sunday a 2 p.m. Regular-season play will continue at home for the Hilltoppers next Wednesday against West Texas A&M. Live stats and videos for all games can be found at GoHilltoppers.com. Fans can also follow the team on Twitter at @SEUWBasketball and Facebook by searching St. Edward's University Women's Basketball.
