Box Score Box Score

THE RUNDOWN
AUSTIN, Texas – The St. Edward's University women's basketball team battled back from nine-point and 11-point deficits Saturday but came up short in its 71-64 loss to Texas A&M-Commerce inside the Recreation and Convocation Center.

The Hilltoppers (2-2) fell behind 11-2 in the first quarter before rallying back to make it 11-11. Lexi Cunningham sparked the scoring run with a free throw at the 7:01 mark in the first quarter and then she tied it with a pair of free throws at the 2:32 mark.

However, the Lions (2-2) came out in the second quarter and outscored SEU 19-9 as they went 8-of-15 from the floor to make it 34-23 at halftime.

St. Edward's won the third quarter 12-11 and then staged another comeback in the final period. Fairen Sutton drilled a 3-pointer just eight seconds into the fourth quarter to cut TAMUC's lead to seven. Cunningham proceeded to score seven of the next 10 points for the Hilltoppers, tying the game at 48, but it would not be enough.

The Lions outscored the Hilltoppers 23-16 in the final seven minutes, going 17-of-18 from the free-throw line as it cruised to victory.
HIGHLIGHTS

• St. Edward's is 1-5 in the all-time series with Texas A&M-Commerce.
• Hernandez led the Hilltoppers in scoring with a career-high 13 points.
• Hernandez has scored in double digits in back-to-back games.
• Cunningham and Brooke Panfili both scored 12 for SEU as Cunningham recorded her second double-digit game of the season and Panfili set a new career high.
• Saundra Guillory led St. Edward's with nine rebounds.
• The Hilltoppers shot a season-best 40 percent from behind the 3-point line.
• Head Coach J.J. Riehl's career record is 81-63 in six seasons at St. Edward's.

STAT OF THE GAME I
12 – St. Edward's recorded 12 steals compared to Texas A&M-Commerce's seven as it upped its game average from 10 steals per contest.

STAT OF THE GAME II
31 – The Hilltoppers' bench outscored the Lions' bench 31-6.

TOP QUOTE
Head Coach J.J. Riehl on the loss…
"I thought the positive was the resiliency that the group showed as they battled back every single time. There were multiple times we were down and we came back. We just weren't tough enough and didn't have enough resolve to get it done in the end. It tends to consistently be the little things we talk about every day. Right now, with our struggles offensively, we can't not be good at the little things."

WHAT'S NEXT
The Hilltoppers host UT Permian Basin Monday at 6 p.m. inside the Recreation and Convocation Center. Live stats and video will be available at GoHilltoppers.com.

Follow St. Edward's Women's Basketball all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @SEUWBasketball