AUSTIN, Texas – MATILDA SORIC hit a critical 3-pointer in the final two minutes, and RONNIE CANTU hit a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining to preserve a 74-71 St. Edward's women's basketball win over the Arkansas Fort Smith Lions.
Four Hilltopper starters scored in double figures, led by JAYDA RUFFUS-MILNER and LAUREN CATHERMAN's 17 points each.
Ruffus-Milner set the tone for St. Edward's in the first quarter, scoring eight points on four shots, engaging in an entertaining scoring duel with Arkansas Fort Smith's Aaliyah Prince, who led the Lions with 26 points on 11-for-18 shooting.
It was an interesting contrast in styles with a similar manipulation of rhythm. Prince combined a slow, looping crossover with a lightning-quick in-and-out dribble to get into the paint at will. Ruffus-Milner relied less on her handle and more on pristine footwork with the same speed variations, catching the ball into a slow reverse pivot to lull her defender into a sense of security and then exploding mid-spin before anyone could react.
Ruffus-Milner scored 11 first-half points, shooting 5-for-6 from the free-throw line to give St. Edward's a 37-31 lead at the half. Catherman added nine points, hitting all five free-throw attempts, and BELLA MUSCOREIL came off the bench to give the Hilltoppers five solid minutes in the half, scoring six points on 3-for-5 shooting by sealing defenders in the basket for layups.
Prince missed her first three shots from the field, relying on pull-up jumpers a step or two out of her comfortable range, but found her rhythm with a 3-for-4 second quarter for nine first-half points. Kayla Brundidge added six points on 3-for-6 shooting as the Lions cycled through new substitutions every two minutes.
Arkansas Fort Smith pulled to within one three minutes into the third quarter, but Catherman found Ruffus-Milner for a layup and then poked the ball loose from Nya Stewart for the RONNIE CANTU fast-break layup to go back up five.
Prince kept the Lions in the game, working exclusively off her bounce for seven third-quarter points, scoring a pull-up jumper in the paint with four seconds remaining in the third quarter to pull within three at 52-49.
Ruffus-Milner fouled out three minutes into the fourth quarter, finishing 6-for-13 from the field and 5-for-7 from the free-throw line with seven rebounds in 21 minutes. Compounding matters for the Hilltoppers, Prince continued to catch fire, scoring 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the final quarter to put the Lions on the brink of taking the lead multiple times.
However, MORGAN GARY relentlessly scored seven of her 13 points with nine rebounds, and Catherman took over in the final quarter. Although Catherman struggled with a 2-for-8 performance from the field, driving through a thicket of arms and legs for 13 free-throw attempts, converting all of them.
When Prince brought the Lions within a driving layup with 2:33 remaining, Soric responded with a big corner 3-pointer with 2:10 on the clock; the defense held on, and Cantu iced the game with a pair of free throws.
St. Edward's was relentless in its pursuit of paint touches, scoring 36 points in the paint and 30 points from the free-throw line on 37 attempts.
The Hilltoppers improved to 12-13 with the win and 8-9 in conference play. St. Edward's hosts Oklahoma Christian on Saturday for Senior Day.
