OREM, Utah – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women’s basketball team made a season-high 13 three-pointers to defeat the Utah Valley University Wolverines 69-59 for their third-straight victory on Tuesday at the UCCU Center.

Junior Tiffany McGarity led UTRGV (12-16, 6-11 WAC) with 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting while making three three-pointers. Sophomore Iyana Dorsey finished with 12 points on 3-of-6 from three-point range and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe. Junior Mele Kailahi scored 10 points with a couple of threes and a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.

Utah Valley (6-22, 3-14 WAC) was led by Kaylee Byon, who scored 18 points with four assists. Shay Fano and Tessa Chaney each added 13 points.

The Vaqueros came out on fire in the first quarter and took an 11-2 lead after a layup from McGarity. After the Wolverines got a bucket, Dorsey knocked down a three-pointer and then Kailahi knocked down a pair of free throws before sophomore Arianna Sturdivant hit a three-pointer to make it 19-4, which was one of four made by UTRGV in the first.

In the second quarter, the Vaqueros got more three-pointers to extend their lead. Sophomore KaCee Kyle opened the scoring with a three-pointer and then Sturdivant knocked down another before graduate student Ashton McCorry made it 33-15 with a three of her own. McGarity hit a three with 4:34 left in the half to push the score to 38-16 and Dorsey made UTRGV’s eighth three-pointer of the half to make it 44-26.

It was more of the same for UTRGV at the start of the second half as back-to-back three-pointers from McGarity and Kailahi extended their lead to 51-30. The Wolverines put together an 11-2 run to get within 53-43 but UTRGV answered with a 7-0 run to close out the third after a layup from McCorry, a three-pointer from junior Halie Jones, and a layup from freshman Charlotte O’Keefe.

In the fourth, the Wolverines clawed their way back into the game as Mae Afoa hit a three-pointer to kick off a 7-0 run but another three-pointer from Kailahi stopped the momentum. Utah Valley got within 67-67 after a three-point play by Fano but UTRGV kept them at bay the rest of the way.

The Vaqueros will be back in action on Thursday, March 2, when they close out the regular season at California Baptist at 8 p.m.