HOUSTON, Texas – St. Thomas women's basketball team dropped a tight one to Texas College in the closing seconds Saturday, 65-62, in the final regular season game.

The Celts had two chances late to tie or take the lead, but could not capitalize. UST will take an 11-13 overall, 8-10 league record into the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament Feb. 28-March 2 at Texas A&M-Texarkana.

Aerial Starks (FR/Houston, TX) scored on a dish from Sydney Hayes (JR/Houston, TX) with 6:07 remaining to give the Celts a 56-48 lead. The Steers pulled within one before Alexya Castillo (FR/Cypress, TX) sank two free throws with 1:28 to go. Texas College answered at the other end before Sheridan Hopkins (JR/Galveston, TX) scored to push the lead back to three. The Steers responded again with 51 seconds to go to make it a one-point game again. Following a turnover, Texas College's Myeea Ford hit a floater with 40.4 seconds left to give the Steers a 63-62 lead. But the Celts could not score down the stretch.

Hopkins finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. Starks had 16 points, 10 boards and five blocks. Paris Townsend had 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Steers.

UST was 17 of 62 from the field. Texas College was 23 of 72.

The Celts matched a season high with 10 blocks.

Hopkins grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with under 4:00 to play in the third quarter to put UST ahead, 41-39. Texas College scored the next five points to regain control. Hopkins sank two free throws to give the lead back to the Celts with under 2:00 remaining in the period. Olivia Anga (FR/Rosharon, TX) scored late in the quarter to give UST a 50-45 lead, but Myeea Ford hit a three-pointer at the end of the quarter to pull the Steers within two.

The Steers led by five early in the second quarter, but Zariah McInnis (SO/Richmond, TX) hit a field goal with just under 6:00 left in the first half to bring the Celts within, 23-22. Starks scored in transition to tie the game at 28 with 1:12 to play in the first half. Brianna Owens (SO/Richmond, TX) hit a triple to give UST a one-point lead, but Ahshakia White buried a triple to send the Steers into the break up, 33-31.

Texas College was 12 of 34 from the field in the first half. St. Thomas was 10 of 34. The Steers were 6 of 7 from the free throw line. The Celts went 9 of 10.

Starks hit a three to give the Celts an 11-10 lead before the Steers crept in front by four with 1:43 remaining in the first period. Unique Finley (SR/Houston, TX)'s long jumper pulled the Celts within 17-15, and Castillo sank a free throw as Texas College took a one-point lead into the second.

McInnis had nine points and seven rebounds. Finley finished with six points, eight rebounds and two steals in her final game at the Jerabeck Center.