EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — Charlotte O’Keefe scored 22 points to lead Texas-Rio Grande Valley to a 78-65 women’s basketball victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday night at UT Pan Am Field House. The Vaqueros improved to 9-8 overall by pulling away after a tight first quarter. The Lions led 25-23 after one but were outscored 22-7 in the second period. O’Keefe, a 6-foot-3 junior, added four blocks in 35 minutes. Jalayah Ingram added 19 points and seven assists for UTRGV. Natalie Huff led Southeastern Louisiana with 15 points, and Mia Ramos added 17. The Lions fell to 2-13 despite a 21-point fourth quarter. An announced crowd of 503 watched the conference game.

EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — A dominant performance in the paint and a stifling defensive stretch in the second quarter propelled the Texas-Rio Grande Valley women’s basketball team to a 78-65 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday night at UT Pan Am Field House. The Vaqueros, improving to 9-8 overall, rode a 22-7 second-quarter surge to seize control of the Southland Conference contest after a tightly contested opening period. The Lions, who led 25-23 after a high-scoring first quarter, saw their offense go ice-cold, managing just seven points in the second frame as UTRGV built a 45-32 halftime lead they would not relinquish. Charlotte O’Keefe was the catalyst for the Vaqueros, delivering a game-high 22 points on 11-of-16 shooting from inside the arc. The 6-foot-3 junior from Overland Park, Kansas, added four blocked shots and three assists, anchoring a defense that held Southeastern Louisiana to 33.8% shooting from the field. O’Keefe’s presence was particularly felt during the decisive second quarter, where she recorded two blocks and multiple defensive rebounds to fuel the transition game. Jalayah Ingram complemented O’Keefe’s interior dominance with a versatile 19-point, seven-assist performance. While UTRGV struggled from deep, making only 2 of 19 three-point attempts, they dominated the lane, outscoring the Lions 52-28 in the paint and securing 18 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. Southeastern Louisiana, which fell to 2-13, was led by the backcourt duo of Natalie Huff and Mia Ramos, both from San Antonio. Huff finished with 15 points, four assists and three steals, while Ramos added 17 points. The Lions started hot, connecting on 5 of 9 three-pointers in the first quarter, but finished the game at 10 of 30 from long range. The most critical phase of the game began late in the first quarter and extended through the second. After Southeastern Louisiana’s Erynn Williams hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 23 with 1:22 left in the opening period, UTRGV closed the quarter on a 7-0 run, capped by a Jalayah Ingram floater. The Vaqueros then locked down defensively to start the second quarter, holding the Lions scoreless for the first five and a half minutes while extending their run to 16-0. A Chazlyn Dettor layup off an O’Keefe assist gave UTRGV a 39-25 lead with 7:11 left in the half, establishing a double-digit cushion that Southeastern Louisiana would never seriously threaten. The Lions attempted several rallies in the second half, cutting the deficit to 11 points on multiple occasions in the third quarter and again early in the fourth. Each time, UTRGV responded with timely baskets, often from O’Keefe or Ingram, to maintain a comfortable margin. Southeastern Louisiana’s final push came in the closing minutes, trimming a 19-point deficit to 13, but the outcome was never in doubt. UTRGV’s efficiency proved decisive. Despite committing 14 turnovers to Southeastern Louisiana’s 12, the Vaqueros scored 78 points on just 72 possessions, an offensive rating of 108.1. The Lions, by contrast, managed only 65 points on 76 trips, an offensive rating of 85.8. The Vaqueros also outshot Southeastern Louisiana from the field, 49.3% to 33.8%, and outrebounded them 46-35. For Southeastern Louisiana, Erynn Williams contributed 10 points and a block, while Eryn McKinzie added six points and two assists. For UTRGV, Erin Maguire of Belfast, Ireland, scored nine points, Ivy Brown of New Zealand added six points and three assists, and Gianna Angiolet chipped in seven points and three assists. The win marks UTRGV’s third straight conference victory, following road wins at Texas A&M-Commerce and Northwestern State last week. Southeastern Louisiana has now lost four consecutive games. Texas-Rio Grande Valley returns to action Saturday at home against McNeese State. Southeastern Louisiana travels to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday.

SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA SEEKS UPSET AT UTRGV IN SOUTHLAND CLASH EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — The Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros look to continue their climb to .500 in conference play when they host the struggling Southeastern Louisiana Lions in a Southland Conference women’s basketball matchup on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, at UT Pan Am Field House. The Vaqueros (8-8, 3-1 Southland) enter on a three-game winning streak, most recently a 60-55 road victory at Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday. Guard Jalayah Ingram has been the catalyst, averaging 24.3 points during the streak, including a 29-point performance in the win over Commerce. UTRGV coach Lane Lord will rely on Ingram’s hot hand against a Lions defense that has allowed an average of 79.2 points during its current six-game skid. Southeastern Louisiana (2-12, 0-4) is searching for its first conference win and any positive momentum after a 77-55 loss at McNeese State last Saturday. The Lions have lost nine of their last ten, with the lone victory coming against Texas A&M-Commerce in November. The Lions’ hopes will rest heavily on guard Lihi Azouri, who has been a consistent scorer despite the team’s struggles. Azouri is averaging 17.7 points over her last six games, including a 22-point effort in a close loss to Memphis last month. She scored 16 points in the loss to McNeese. For UTRGV, maintaining its recent defensive intensity will be key. The Vaqueros have held opponents to 55 points or fewer in two of their three conference wins. They will look to contain Azouri and capitalize on a Southeastern Louisiana team that has faced offensive droughts, notably in a 120-38 loss at Texas in December. The Vaqueros won last season’s meeting 78-58 in Hammond, Louisiana. UTRGV holds a 13-5 all-time series advantage. Following this game, UTRGV will host McNeese State on Saturday. Southeastern Louisiana travels to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi the same day.