LAREDO, Texas – The Rogers State women's basketball team ended its road losing streak with a 74-64 win at Texas A&M International on Saturday (Feb. 17) at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building.
 
Desiree Nelson sank four 3-pointers during a run at the end of the first half and added two more timely triples in the second half to help the Cats earn the win. The junior from Caney, Kan. registered a game-high 18 points, hitting six 3-pointers.
 
With the score tied at 15-15 midway through the second period, Nelson got hot and hit four-straight 3s to push the Hillcats out to a 27-18 advantage with 3:12 left in the first half.
 
Kamry Chamberlain got in on the 3-point shootout with a triple at the 1:19 mark for a 30-20 RSU edge. The navy and red ended the first half on a 14-3 run to take a 32-21 lead into halftime.
 
Nelson gave the Cats their largest lead of the game in the third period with her fifth triple of the game. The 3 put the navy and red up 39-23 with 6:55 remaining in the third period.
 
The host Dustdevils chipped away at the RSU edge, and only trailed by four at 45-41 after third periods.
 
TAMIU pulled to within two early in the fourth, but the Hillcats responded. With the score 47-45 early in the fourth, Nelson sank her sixth 3-pointer to extend the RSU lead to 50-45 with 8:50 left.
 
Lindsey Byfield hit back-to-back 3s to quickly propel the advantage back to double digits at 60-48 at the 5:48 mark.
 
RSU made free throws in the final minutes to close out the victory.
 
With the win, RSU snapped a 14-game road losing streak dating back to the 2016-17 season. The road win was the first victory on the road since Feb. 4, 2017 when the Cats defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State.
 
Lauren Schuldt tallied 12 points, and Darian Jackson went for 10 points. Byfield grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go with her nine points. Point guard Nikola Nedoroscikova dished out a game-high five assists and had eight points, going 6-for-6 at the free throw line late in the contest.
 
TAMIU's Tantashea Giger totaled a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Dustdevils.  
 
The Hillcats return home to end the regular season with two games at the Claremore Expo Center. The stretch starts with Newman on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Coverage will be available on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.