FRISCO, Texas – The St. Edward's women's basketball team played top-seeded Texas Woman's University on near even terms over the final three quarters, but couldn't overcome a slow start in a 62-50 loss in the Lone Star Conference Tournament Quarterfinals.
"Obviously, it's not the result we wanted but once again, you cannot question the fight in this team," St. Edward's head women's basketball coach J.J. Riehl says. "We were not ready for the moment in the first quarter. We let Texas Woman's get out to a great start and that proved to be the difference."
Texas Woman's forward Scout Huffman opened the game on a personal 6-0 run, scoring on a quick flash to the middle of the paint and hook shot, a drop step, and transition layup to prompt a St. Edward's timeout less than three minutes in.
The junior forward set the tone for Texas Woman's with 10 of her 15 points in the first quarter, hitting all five of her shots to give the Pioneers a 20-10 lead after the first 10 minutes.
RONNIE CANTU ended the run with a 3-pointer, but St. Edward's couldn't string together enough stops or consecutive baskets, shooting just 30.8 percent from the field while surrendering 60 percent shooting to Texas Woman's.
"We tried everything we knew to try defensively but couldn't create any momentum on the offensive end," Riehl says. "TWU is a great team. They make things so difficult for you. Kudos to them and their kids."
MORGAN GARY found her rhythm in the second quarter, keeping the Hilltoppers in the game with her scoring. The newly minuted all-conference forward hit all four of her shot attempts in the quarter for eight points.
Gary started her scoring run with just under five minutes, catching the ball at the left elbow to turn to her right for the pull-up jumper. A minute later, she followed a pair of SAMMIE DUFEK free throws by ripping Leila Patel in the backcourt for an easy fast-break layup.
She grabbed the defensive reboound on the ensuing possession and found Cantu in the corner for her second 3-pointer of the game to cap off a 9-2 run to bring the Hilltoppers back within seven at 28-21 with 3:09 remaining in the half.
Gary scored twice more, catching the ball at the left elbow, doing right, and spinning back the other way for a teardrop, then repeating the process from further out on the floor.
Unfortunately for the Hilltoppers, Pena and Sadie Moyer hit critical 3-pointers down the stretch of the half to keep the lead at 36-26 at the break.
St. Edward's cut the lead to single digits twice in the third quarter. The Hilltoppers had the opportunity to trim the deficit even further, but couldn't convert a few quality looks from the field. LAUREN CATHERMAN and AINSLEY THUNELL combined for 11 of St. Edward's 12 points in the quarter on a combined 4-for-5 shooting.
Catherman sparked the Hilltoppers in transition, teaming with JAYDA RUFFUS-MILNER to force a wild TWU corner 3-pointer against the shotclock, grabbing the rebound and taking it coast-to-coast for the floater.
A minute later, Ruffus-Milner picked off a Ngozi Obineke pass and Catherman was fouled on a backdoor pass from Cantu, sinking both free throws to pull within nine at 40-31 with 5:45 remaining in the third.
Texas Woman's responded with an 8-2 run, but had its momentum blunted by Thunell hitting a 3-pointer and midrange jumper on back-to-back possessions to pull St. Edward's within 49-38 heading into the fourth.
Moyer sparked the Pioneers with back-to-back fast-break layups off misses. A few possessions later, she hit a driving layup to put the Pioneers up 19. The Hilltoppers kept fighting, closing the game on a 7-0 run. Gary hit a 3-pointer, Dufek followed with a layup off a Gary pass, and Ruffus-Milner hit a pair of free throws.
Gary led the Hilltoppers with 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Catherman and Cantu added eight each to round out the Hilltoppers' top three scorers. Dufek closed her career with five blocks and a steal, adding to her program record for career blocks.
Huffman led three Pioneers in double figures with 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting. Moyer added 14 points on eight shots, and Ashley Ingram ahd 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
"So much of sports is experience and understanding the moment. Our program hasn't had the opportunity to be in these moments the last couple of years," Riehl says. "The gift this team has given the next is that experience. To understand that moment and what it feels like. This team leaves things better than they found them and for that I'll alwayas be grateful for them."
St. Edward's finishes the season with a 14-17 record, clinching its first LSC Tournament since the 2019-20 season with three all-conference selections and one all-defensive selection.
