The UTRGV women’s basketball team fell 89-86 to the Utah Tech Trailblazers on Saturday at Burns Arena in Utah in a Western Athletic Conference game that featured seven ties and five lead changes.
UTRGV (9-16, 3-11 WAC) had five players score in double figures with sophomore Iyana Dorsey leading the way with 26 points, on 7-of-17 shooting. Junior Mele Kailahi scored 14 points with three rebounds and two steals. Freshman Charlotte O’Keefe scored 14 points with eight rebounds and two assists. Junior Tiffany McGarity added 13 points with four rebounds.
Utah Tech (16-9, 8-6 WAC) was led by Breaunna Gillen, who scored 24 points with six assists and seven rebounds. Emily Isaacson scored 22 points with five rebounds. Amber Kartchner scored 15 points with five rebounds and five assists and Maggie McCord chipped in with 15 points.
The Vaqueros came out of the gates and scored the first six points of the game as O’Keefe knocked down a jumper, Ogayemi made a layup, Kailahi made a pair of free throws to give them the 6-0 lead. The Trailblazers answered with a 12-2 run before a three-pointer from junior Arianna Sturdivant made it 12-11 with 2:37 left in the first quarter.
In the second half, the Vaqueros took the lead with a 19-3 run that featured four three-pointers from Dorsey as they took the 57-42 lead. Utah Tech answered with a 9-2 run but UTRGV held off that run with a run of their own as buckets from Kyle, O’Keefe, and a pair of free throws from Ogayemi made it 65-41 with 2:37 left in the third quarter.
The Trailblazers cut the Vaqueros lead to 68-64 by the end of the third. Both teams exchanged buckets to start the fourth but after a pair of free throws by Dorsey, but the Trailblazers put together a 7-0 run to regain the 77-74 lead with just over four minutes to play.
Dorsey converted on a three-point play to tie the game at 77-77. A few minutes later, Dorsey knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game at 82-82 but Utah Tech put together another 7-0 run to regain the lead for good.
The Vaqueros will be back in action at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday when they host Tarleton at 6:30 p.m. at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg. Tickets are on sale now at UTRGVTickets.com.