'Roo Women's Hoops Holds Off St. Thomas

HOUSTON, Texas - The Austin College women's basketball team picked up a crucial win at St. Thomas on Sunday, topping the Celts 56-48 as they continue to battle for a spot in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.

After finishing the opening quarter trailing 17-16, the 'Roos used a dominant second period in which they outscored the Celts 17-6 to grab a 33-23 lead at halftime. However, UST started to chip away at the Austin College lead in the third, winning the quarter 15-9 to make it 42-38 heading into the game's final 10 minutes of action. St. Thomas pulled to within one at 43-42 with 6:18 left, but Amarys Cuellar knocked down a three to push the margin back to four. St. Thomas cut it to 46-44 a minute later before Lauren Traylor and Naomi Anamekwe each scored to make it 50-44, and Cuellar put the 'Roos on top 52-44 with a bucket at the 2:39 mark.

The Celts scored with 2:29 remaining to make it 52-46, but Avory Miller and Lexi Martin combined to go 4-of-4 from the free throw line over the next minute and a half to extend the lead to 56-46 and the 'Roos held on from there. Austin College led for the final 24 minutes of the game, after Brooklyn Matthews scored to put the 'Roos on top 21-19 in the second quarter and never trailed again. Martin hit 5-of-9 from beyond the arc to lead all scorers with 17 points, and Traylor posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds while adding four assists. Cuellar finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, and Matthews pulled down 10 rebounds. Hayden Morin had 11 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals for the Celts.