KINGSVILLE, Texas – St. Edward's women's basketball led most of the game, but a big Texas A&M-Kingsville fourth quarter cost the Hilltoppers a 61-53 loss to the Javelinas.
 
JAYDA RUFFUS-MILNER and LAUREN CATHERMAN were remarkably efficient in scoring double figures for St. Edward's, combining for 34 points on 12-for-16 shooting. However, the Hilltoppers missed opportunities in a 57.7 percent performance from the free-throw line. 
 
St. Edward's opened on a torrid pace again behind a sterling first-quarter performance from first-year forward BAILEY FEATHERSTONE and a pair of buckets off the bench from ABBEY MORTON. She led the Hilltoppers to a 21-15 lead with eight points on 3-for-4 shooting. The duo was assisted twice each by LAUREN CATHERMAN, who had four in the quarter. 
 
The second quarter was a defensive slugfest won 9-7 by Texas A&M-Kingsville to leave St. Edward's with a 28-24 lead at the break. 
 
Ruffus-Milner came to life in the third quarter with 10 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from the field and a pair of free throws, and an early 7-0 run put St. Edward's up by as much as nine with seven minutes remaining in the third. However, Texas A&M-Kingsville countered with three 3-pointers to outscore St. Edward's 9-7 in the quarter to trail the Hilltoppers 42-40. 
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville got clutch performances off the bench from Abby Bala and Shelby Ray, who scored seven each in a 21-11 fourth quarter to pull away from the Hilltoppers. 
 
Ruffus-Milner led all scorers with 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. Catherman scored 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting with six assists and five steals. Ray led Texas A&M-Kingsville with 12 points, anchoring a bench unit that scored 35 points for the Javelinas. 
 
St. Edward's drops to 5-7 with a 2-4 conference record. The Hilltoppers will return home to host UT-Tyler on Thursday then Texas Woman's University on Saturday.