AUSTIN, Texas — MIKAH CHAPMAN and KIANA BENNETT lit up the Midwestern State Mustangs like fireworks in the New Year's Eve sky during the first quarter of an 80-52 victory for the St. Edward's Hilltoppers. 
 
Bennet's 18 points and five assists led four Hilltopper starters in double figures, hitting all five shots inside the paint and 2-for-5 from deep. St. Edward's starting five combined to shoot 26-for 39 (66.7 percent) from the field in its most efficient game of the season. 
 
Chapman set the tone by scoring two of St. Edward's first three buckets, lurking in the short corner for a midrange jumper and cutting layup through contact. She assisted on the third, swinging the ball to KENDALL BECK at the top of the key for the long 2-pointer. 
 
St. Edward's senior forward added another assist, finding Bennett cutting along the baseline for a layup. Bennett turned that spark into a full-blown fire, getting in transition for a layup, hitting a 3-pointer, and adding two more buckets for 11 first-quarter points. Chapman added eight, and the duo combined to shoot a perfect 9-for-9 in the quarter, leading St. Edward's to a 27-12 lead.
 
Bennett kept the pressure up, producing three steals in the second quarter, and the backcourt trio of Bennett, SUNI DAVIS, and RAMSEY ROBLEDO carved up the Midwestern State defense for a combined 16 points in the quarter, with each hitting a 3-pointer as part of an 18-10 run down the stretch, including a 9-0 run capped by Bennett's driving layup with 1:02 remaining in the half. 
 
St. Edward's led 47-24 at the break, led by Bennett's 16 on 7-for-9 shooting. The Hilltoppers moved the ball fluidly, assisting on 13 of their 19 made field goals in the half, led by Chapman and KIARA COUNCIL's three each. 
 
On the other end, the Hilltoppers swarmed defensively, playing two-big lineups and switching across the board with one big dropped back at all times, protecting the paint and 3-point line. Chapman and Robledo added two steals each, while JASMYN JACKSON protected the rim with two blocks in the half. 
 
Beck took over in the third quarter, demanding the ball against a switch to bury a smaller defender deep in the paint for a quick seal and layup. She combined that power, with speed running the floor for a transition layup, and soft touch on short jumpers to score 10 in the quarter on 5-for-6 shooting, draining a short jumper from Council to give St. Edward's a 65-36 lead heading into the fourth. 
 
Davis added a pair of free throws in the fourth, and Beck scored five more before both exited the game as both teams cleared the bench. JASMINE FARMER scored a pair of free throws, JAE'LA HICKS hit a 3-pointer, and Council added three free throws to close the game. 
 
Beck finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, Davis added 14 points, four rebounds, and three assists, and Chapman finished with 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals in only 21 minutes. 
St. Edward's improves to 9-4 with a 3-2 conference record. The Hilltoppers will travel next week to face nationally-ranked West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico.