HOUSTON, Texas – The University of St. Thomas women's basketball team put up a strong fight but fell to Texas A&M International, 95-85, in a fast-paced home matchup today at 1 pm.With the loss, the Celts move to 0-1 to start the season, showing strong offensive promise despite the setback.

UST started hot with back-to-back layups before the Dust Devils responded with a 3 pointer to set the tone. The first quarter remained close, with key free throws from Macie Whitfield and a three-pointer from Yasmine Aly keeping the Celts within reach as A&M held a 22-16 lead. 

In the second, Kameron Goodman's three-pointer sparked the offense, and baskets from Nora Aigberadion and Amyia Bowie helped the Celts trim the gap to 47-42 at halftime. After the break, Whitfield and Laura Jones converted quick layups to pull within one, but the DustDevils' offense held firm, taking a 72-64 advantage into the final period. 

The Celts continued to battle in the fourth, led by Bowie's opening layup and Aly's late surge inside. Despite a strong push, UST couldn't overcome A&M's lead, falling 95-85 in a high-scoring contest. 

Macie Whitfield led the Celts with 21 points and 10 rebounds on 8-for-14 shooting. Yasmine Aly added 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting, while Kenna Gibson chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds to round out a balanced performance. 

Up Next 
The Celts will travel to San Antonio for an exhibition matchup against the University of the Incarnate Word(Exhibition) on Monday, November 10, with tipoff set for 6:00 PM.