Box Score AUSTIN, Texas – The women's basketball Battle of the Saints went down to the wire, but St. Edward's couldn't convert on two opportunities in the closing minutes of a 63-61 loss to the St. Mary's Rattlers. 
 
BAILEY FEATHERSTONE erupted for 20 points and nine rebounds off the bench, but St. Mary's Christin Callens countered with 18 points, and the Rattlers outscored the Hilltoppers 23-17 in a tightly contested fourth quarter with two ties and three lead changes. 
 
Callens opened the game with eight points in the first quarter, using her combination of size, strength, and an active dribble to shove, twist, and turn her way into two layups and four free throws. BAILEY FEATHERSTONE sparked St. Edward's off the bench, attacking off the dribble for two layups and using her strength and balance to create space for a pull-up jumper for the 15-14 lead. 
 
Featherstone continued her takeover in the second quarter, scoring six points on four shots, including a jumper off a feed from J.P. for the 34-25 halftime lead. J.P. helped lead a 6-0 run near the end of the half, reentering the game after her first break, going coast-to-coast for a fastbreak layup, and hitting a stepback jumper in the paint. 
 
St. Edward's bench outscored St. Mary's second unit 15-6, with Featherstone accounting for 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting. Callens led St. Mary's with eight points, needing seven shots. 
 
The Hilltoppers opened the second half ice cold, shooting 4-for-15 from the field, getting four points from Featherstone and KIANA BENNETT each and one bucket from J.P. Callens hit all three of her attempts for six points, Imani Ivery added four on 2-for-3 shooting, and St. Mary's outscored St. Edward's 14-8 in the paint and 15-10 in the quarter, trimming St. Edward's lead to 44-40. 
 
St. Mary's opened the fourth with a 3-pointer, but the Hilltoppers responded by getting on the break. RAMSEY ROBLEDO found Bennett in transition for a 3-pointer, then AINSLEY THUNELL made the long outlet pass to Featherstone for a 49-43 lead. 
 
The Rattlers cut the lead to one, but Thunnell tipped in a Featherstone miss after the latter drew the defense to her on a paint touch. 
 
Featherstone stepped up on defense to lock Callens down, going so far as to draw two offensive fouls on isolations, and Bennett and Robledo each hit driving layups to give the Hilltoppers a 60-55 lead with 1:53 remaining. 
 
Callens responded with a pair of free throws, J.P. went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line, and Rayne Malik hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one. J.P. missed a driving layup, Callens tied the game with a free throw, Bennett issued a good look from the 3-point line, and Ivery iced the game with two free throws. 
 
J.P. and Bennett added 12 points each for the Hilltoppers, Robledo scored nine, and Thunell had five points, seven rebounds, and four assists. 
 
St. Edward's drops to 11-19 with a 7-13 conference record. The Hilltoppers will close the season in San Antonio with a rematch against St. Mary's.