HOUSTON, Texas – The University of St. Thomas women's basketball team fell to Paul Quinn College, 82-57, Friday. The Celts (11-13, 8-9 Red River Athletic Conference) shot 28.9 percent, while the Tigers (19-9, 12-5) shot 41.6 percent. UST trailed nearly the entire way, and went just 3 of 20 from the field in the second quarter to fall behind, 42-23.
St. Thomas' Zariah McInnis (SO/Richmond, TX) banked in a three-pointer 1:27 into the second half to trim the Tigers' lead to 15. Paul Quinn extended its lead out to 21 on a triple by Essynce Templeton. The Tigers increased it to 25 on a layup by Destinee Medlock.
Alexya Castillo (FR/Cypress, TX) hit a three with 4:44 to play as UST cut it to 71-49. But the Tigers scored the next nine points, and the Celts went scoreless until McInnis had a layup at the 1:57 mark.
St. Thomas was 7 of 26 from three-point range. Paul Quinn was 5 of 13. The Tigers outscored the Celts, 50-28, in the paint. Both teams committed 22 turnovers.
UST fell behind 11-5 midway through the first quarter before McInnis and Castillo each hit a triple to tie the game. The Tigers closed the quarter with a 10-2 run to take an eight-point lead into the second.
The Celts had just one field goal in the first six minutes of the second quarter until Sydney Hayes (JR/Houston, TX) fed McInnis, cutting to the glass, for a transition bucket. UST trailed by 11 at that time. Paul Quinn bumped its lead to 18 when Alexus Scharkley scored with 2:00 left in the first half.
St. Thomas shot 22 percent in the first half. Paul Quinn hit 42.5 percent of its shots.
McInnis scored 12 points, and had two steals. Sheridan Hopkins (JR/Galveston, TX) and Castillo each scored 11. Castillo had six rebounds, and Hopkins four boards, three blocks and three steals. Sydney Hayes had six points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Templeton and Joydazia Norman each scored 14 for the Tigers. Scharkley added 13.
The Celts will host Texas College at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the final game of the regular season. The Celts will honor Senior forward Unique Finley (SR/Houston, TX) before the men tip off Saturday night.
