By CHASE UPTON/Sports Editor
AUSTIN, Texas— Patriot women’s basketball extended its winning streak to five games with a 47-44 road victory over St. Edward’s Thursday, using late-game execution and defensive pressure to hold off the Hilltoppers.
The Patriots entered the matchup 10-6 overall and 6-1 in Lone Star Conference play, while St. Edward’s came in looking to rebound from a difficult 2026 start to conference action.
UT Tyler trailed 24-21 at halftime after a low-scoring opening half. Hayley Cumming led the Patriots with six points through two quarters of play, while Polina Latysheva added five points and two assists.
St. Edward’s was paced early by Kiana Bennett, a Tyler Junior College transfer, who scored 12 of her team’s 24 first-half points on 5-of-8 shooting. The Hilltoppers leading scorer for the season, Suni Davis, who came in top-10 in the Lone Star Conference in scoring, was held scoreless in the first half.
Latysheva set the tone in the second half, opening the third period with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 24. UT Tyler then matched St. Edward’s basket for basket throughout, but the Hilltoppers carried a 36-35 advantage into the final quarter despite six points from Leila Davis in the third.
The Hilltopper lead wouldn’t last for long in the fourth, as Latysheva knocked down another three, this time from the corner at the 8-minute mark to give the Patriots their first lead since the opening minutes. St. Edward’s briefly answered with a free throw line jumper from Kendall Beck, but senior guard Mariah Neal responded with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to put UT Tyler back in front for good.
The Patriots sealed the win with timely baskets from Neal, Lilli Hakkarainen and Davis, along with a pair of free throws by Cumming. Neal’s go-ahead 3-pointer came in the 102nd game of her career, which ranks sixth all time in program history.
Latysheva led all scorers with 13 points and added three rebounds, four assists and a block. Davis followed with 11 points and a team-high six rebounds as UT Tyler relied on balanced scoring and timely perimeter shooting to secure the win.
Defense once again proved decisive for the Patriots. UT Tyler entered the game ranked second nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 49.6 points per game, and held St. Edward’s to 44 points. Suni Davis, who came in averaging 13.6 points per game, was limited to two points, both coming at the free-throw line in the final minute.
St. Edward’s had a chance to tie the game on its final possession, but UT Tyler got a huge stop to secure the win.
The Patriots improved to 11–6 overall and 7–1 in LSC play, moving into fourth place behind the three remaining undefeated teams: No. 3 Texas Woman’s (14–1, 8–0 LSC), No. 7 West Texas A&M (16–1, 8–0) and Eastern New Mexico (12–4, 8–0).
What’s Next
UT Tyler will look to extend its winning streak on the road against St. Mary’s (9–5, 4–4 LSC) in San Antonio on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 1 p.m. The Patriots then return home for a two-game homestand, hosting No. 11 Lubbock Christian (14–3, 6–2 LSC) on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 5:30 p.m. for Hawaiian Night and Midwestern State (4–9, 1–6 LSC) on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 1 p.m. for First Responders/ Military Appreciation Night.
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