LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — Texas-Rio Grande Valley used a decisive 30-point third quarter to overcome a halftime deficit and defeat Northwestern State 76-67 in a women’s Division I basketball game Tuesday at Burton Coliseum. The Demons led 28-27 at halftime, but the Vaqueros’ surge after the break proved insurmountable. Jalayah Ingram led Texas-Rio Grande Valley with 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Charlotte O’Keefe added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Northwestern State’s Nya Valentine scored a game-high 30 points in the loss. The Vaqueros improved to 20-12, while the Demons fell to 17-14.

LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — A dominant third-quarter surge propelled the Texas-Rio Grande Valley women’s basketball team to a 76-67 victory over Northwestern State in a Southland Conference matchup Tuesday afternoon at Burton Coliseum. The game, a critical late-season contest for both teams, turned decisively in the third period. After a tightly contested first half that saw the Vaqueros take a narrow 27-28 lead into the locker room, they erupted for 30 points in the third quarter. That outburst, which more than doubled Northwestern State’s 14-point output in the frame, transformed a one-point advantage into a commanding 57-42 lead entering the final period. The catalyst for the Vaqueros’ run was a balanced and efficient offensive attack. Jalayah Ingram, the standout guard from Pearland, Texas, spearheaded the effort, finishing with a game-high 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Her backcourt partner, Erin Maguire of Belfast, Ireland, orchestrated the offense with nine points and five assists, while forward Charlotte O’Keefe of Overland Park, Kansas, controlled the paint with a double-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Northwestern State, which had won the previous meeting between the teams in overtime just 12 days prior, could not withstand the onslaught despite a heroic scoring performance from guard Nya Valentine. The junior from Mobile, Alabama, poured in 30 points and dished out five assists, playing all 40 minutes in a valiant effort. Vernell Atamah of Mesquite, Texas, added 17 points and five rebounds for the Demons. The Vaqueros methodically built their lead in the third, answering every Northwestern State basket with a run of their own. Key sequences included a three-pointer from Gianna Angiolet of Austin, Texas, who had 11 points, and a driving layup from Chazlyn Dettor of Killeen, Texas, who contributed 10 points off the bench. The period was defined by UTRGV’s ability to get stops and convert in transition, outscoring the Demons by 16. Northwestern State refused to capitulate in the fourth quarter, mounting a furious comeback behind Valentine’s sharpshooting. The Demons scored 25 points in the final period, cutting a 15-point deficit to as few as five points in the closing minutes. Valentine hit a trio of three-pointers during the rally, and a triple from Atamah with 1:12 remaining made the score 70-67. That was as close as the Demons would get. Ingram, fouled on the ensuing possession, calmly sank two free throws to push the lead back to five. After a Northwestern State miss, Ingram was fouled again and hit two more from the line with 17 seconds left to seal the victory, part of a perfect 8-for-8 afternoon at the charity stripe for the Vaqueros’ leader. The game began as a defensive struggle, with both teams combining for 19 points in a sloppy first quarter that ended with Northwestern State ahead 10-9. The Demons extended their lead to as many as six in the second quarter before UTRGV closed the half on a 9-2 run to snatch the lead. With the win, Texas-Rio Grande Valley improved its season record to 20-12 overall. Northwestern State fell to 17-14. The game was part of the Southland Conference postseason tournament, though the specific round was not designated in the provided information. The Vaqueros’ victory avenged their overtime loss to the Demons on Feb. 26 and split the season series.

LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — A spot in the NCAA tournament will be on the line Tuesday when seed Northwestern State faces seed Texas-Rio Grande Valley in the championship game of the Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament. The matchup at the Legacy Center is a rubber game between the teams, who split their regular-season series. UTRGV (19-12) won 61-55 in Natchitoches on Jan. 8, but Northwestern State (17-13) answered with a 64-59 overtime victory in Edinburg on Feb. 26. The Demons, winners of five straight, are playing their best basketball of the season. They advanced with a 69-56 quarterfinal win over Texas A&M-Commerce on Monday, led by Vernell Atamah’s 19 points and Carla Celaya’s 13 rebounds and five assists. Celaya has been a consistent force, averaging 7.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists over her last seven games. The Vaqueros, who earned a double-bye into the semifinals, last played on March 2, defeating Incarnate Word 72-64. They are powered by dynamic guard Jalayah Ingram, who dropped 31 points in that contest. Ingram averages 18.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists over her last eight games, though she was held to 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting in the overtime loss to Northwestern State. Northwestern State’s defense, which held opponents under 60 points in four of its five recent wins, will be tested by Ingram and a UTRGV offense averaging 68.8 points per game. The Demons will counter with a balanced attack; four players scored in double figures in their first-round win. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CDT. The winner will claim the Southland’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.