AUSTIN, Texas – A solid first half gave way to a rough third quarter for the St. Edward's women's basketball team in a 76-56 loss to the Eastern New Mexico University Greyhounds in the conference opener. 

The Eastern New Mexico defense lived up to its billing early, extending its defensive pressure to halfcourt and springing traps at specific areas on the court. The Hilltoppers countered by turning the pressure against the Greyhounds, first tentatively, then with a little more precision. 

St. Edward's showed its process early, making the right reads with finishes just a bit off-kilter. For example, a pass over the top to a pick and roll fell just a little off, or an entry pass was bobbled for the briefest of moments, allowing for the defense to recover. 

But as the Hilltoppers settled into the game, the execution came into focus. St. Edward's accepted the pressure and moved the ball to the weak side, finding room to turn the corner baseline and find a trio of corner 3-pointers and dump-off passes inside. 

RONNIE CANTU played her role early, advancing the ball under duress, accepting the extra defender, making the pass, then relocating for a trio of 3-pointers in the first half to lead the Hilltopper with nine points at the break. 

BELLA MUSCOREIL provided instant offense for the HIlltoppers off the bench, scoring eight of her 10 points, using her size and soft touch to create space inside and score over the top. 

"I thought Ronnie did a great job of staying within herself. We talked a lot about her running the offense and then shooting her 3-point shot," St. Edward's head women's basketball coach J.J. Riehl says. "Bella came in off the bench and probably had her best game of the year and I thought that really sparked us going into halftime."

Defensively, the Hilltoppers did an excellent job of making the Greyhounds play in a crowd, playing physically through screens, and protecting the basket with three blocks in the half and several other shots altered. 

After leading 18-16 in the first quarter, St. Edward's maintained its process, moving the ball and driving to puncture the defense, but struggled to convert. The Hilltoppers forced seven turnovers and had a 20-12 advantage in shot attempts but surrendered seven free-throw attempts and shot just 6-for-20. Eastern New Mexico took advantage, outscoring the Hilltoppers 15-13 in the quarter and tying the game on a Deja Adrian offensive rebound and putback with 18 seconds remaining. 

"In the first half we were disciplined, did our jobs, and defensively did a good job containing them and not letting them get open looks," Riehl says. "I would've liked to have finished that first half a little better. We had a five-point lead with a couple of minutes left and ended up going in tied. Those are the things we have to get better at understanding."

St. Edward's opened the second half continuing to run its offense, trading baskets inside with a short jumper from SAMMIE DUFEK and a pair of shots inside from JAYDA RUFFUS-MILNER to tie the score at 37 three minutes into the second half. 

Eastern New Mexico followed with a 10-0 run, outscoring St. Edward's 28-11 in the third quarter. A few turnovers and a few missed open jumpers seeped into the rest of the offense, sapping some of the decisiveness and ball movement prevalent in the first half. 

"It's the theme of our year. We talk about mentality and staying where our feet are and not self-sabotaging and I felt that's what we did in the third quarter,' Riehl says. "We felt sorry for ourselves, things got a little tought, they started hitting shots, and then a six-point game becomes an 18-point game." 

St. Edward's continued to fight in the fourth quarter, getting a pair of 3-pointers from MATILDA SORIC and a solid defensive effort in a 17-14 Eastern New Mexico fourth quarter. 

Cantu led St. Edward's with 12 points, shooting 4-for-6 from beyond the 3-point line. MORGAN GARY and LAUREN CATHERMAN added seven points each, with Gary giving the offense a late-shot clock option when the offense got in trouble. Deja Adrian led Eastern New Mexico with 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting, and Bella Stone scored 20 points on 12 shots with a game-high eight rebounds. St. Edward's drops to 2-5 and will face Western New Mexico on Saturday.