This Week at the Hilltop, basketball wraps up the regular season with its Battle of the Saints and baseball hosts UT Tyler in a meeting between nationally ranked teams.  
 
STUNT hits the road at the TWU Tournament, Track & Field opens its outdoor season in Georgetown, Texas, and softball goes to Sul Ross State and Texas Permian Basin. 
 
The Battle of the Saints in basketball will also honor Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day during a White Out game, distributing free shirts while supplies last. Our corporate partner, Holiday Inn Town Lake, will also give two wristbands to the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Registration starts during the women's basketball game, with the giveaway taking place at halftime of the men's game. 
 
Men's Basketball (18-11, 12-8)
St. Edward's heads into the final week of the regular season needing one win in two chances against St. Mary's to clinch a Lone Star Conference Tournament berth. 
 
The Hilltoppers lead the league in assists per game, ranking third in field-goal percentage, scoring offense, and first in 3-point percentage.  
 
St. Edward's has won seven of its past nine games, picking up critical wins against Angelo State and West Texas A&M to stay ahead in the tournament standings. St. Mary's (19-7, 16-4) has lost three of the past six but remains fourth in the conference, led by Damani Claxton's 17.5 points per game and Lachlan Bofingers 12.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. 
 
The Rattlers ranked first and third in controlling the glass, getting to the free-throw line, and protecting the paint. 
 
Women's Basketball (11-18, 7-13)
St. Edward's women's basketball looks for a strong finish to the season against the St. Mary's Rattlers (12-14, 8-12). The Hilltoppers have had strong starts in recent games but faded late and will look to build on lessons learned for momentum heading into the offseason. 
 
J.P. leads St. Edward's, ranking second in assists, third in steals, and fifth in total points. KIANA BENNETT is fifth in 3-pointers.
 
St. Mary's is led by Christin Callens' 14.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. St. Mary's has lost six of its last seven contests. 
 
Baseball (14-3, 13-3)
St. Edward's baseball team is 14-3 this season, with a 13-3 conference record. It has also recorded consecutive series sweeps over Cameron and Texas Permian Basin.
 
KOBE JARAMILLO anchors a pitching staff that leads the conference in complete games, with the fewest walks, the fewest hits allowed, and the third-best ERA. The Hilltoppers rely on sound pitching, steady defense, manufactured runs, and timely hitting. 
 
CONNOR COX leads St. Edward's with a .424 batting average. He also has 14 runs and 12 RBI. DYLAN TATE has been a breakout star in his first season at the Hilltop, hitting .400 with 17 RBI, 14 runs scored, and a .636 slugging percentage. 
 
UT Tyler (14-2, 14-2) is on an eight-game win streak. It split its series against No. 2 ranked Angelo State, sustaining only two losses. The Patriots have six hitters batting over .350 and two at .400 or higher. 
 
Softball (10-8, 4-4)
Softball is coming off a successful 3-1 week, including a thrilling walk-off home run from ELLA HUTZLER to hand Eastern New Mexico only its second conference loss. 
 
Eight hitters are all batting over .300, led by KATIE DILLON's .500 batting average. Hutzler is at .375 with a team-high .625 slugging percentage, hitting three home runs, three doubles, 10 RBI, and 10 runs scored. 
 
St. Edward's offense has improved across the board, already reaching more than half of all the runs it scored last year this early in the season. The pitching staff has been solid, with strong performances from KYLEN PADGETT and LISETTE URQUIDEZ, leading to a plus-10 run differential this season. 
 
The Hilltoppers will look to put some distance between themselves and .500 in conference play at Sul Ross State (4-13, 1-7), which is competing in its first season in NCAA Division II, and Texas Permian Basin (5-13, 0-8). 
 
STUNT (0-3)
STUNT looks to build on its opening performance with its busiest weekend of the season, which includes seven contests in two days at the TWU Tournament. 
 
St. Edward's is seeking a high floor, low ceiling scoring output as it builds a strong foundation of mastering performances on its way to competing at a higher level. On Friday, The Hilltoppers will compete against the LSC's other new STUNT program, Texas A&M-Kingsville, followed by NCAA Division III's Centenary, then Southern Nazarene University. On Saturday, the Hilltoppers face host TWU, St. Mary's, Connors State College, and Southern Nazarene again.