Top seeds LSU Shreveport and Texas A&M-San Antonio set to clash for RRAC women's hoops championship

ALEXANDRIA, La. (Feb. 28, 2026) - In the first semifinal matchup of the 2026 RRAC Women's Basketball Tournament, second-seeded Texas A&M-San Antonio used efficient shooting and timely free throws to secure a 71-62 win over third-seeded Texas A&M–Texarkana. Top-seed LSU Shreveport relied on a hot shooting night and strong rebounding to defeat Xavier (La.) 79-68. The semifinal winners will move on to the championship match, set for 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, at the Laborde Earles Coliseum in Alexandria, La.

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The Jaguars built a double-digit halftime lead and withstood a late Eagles push that cut the margin to 65-62 in the fourth quarter before closing the game on a decisive run. TAMUSA shot 21-of-44 (47.7 percent) from the field and made 26-of-30 free throws (86.7 percent), while TAMUT went 24-of-67 (35.8 percent) from the field and 11-of-18 (61.1 percent) at the charity line.

 

TAMUSA set the tone early, taking an 18-14 lead after the first quarter and widening the gap with an 18-10 second quarter to go up 36-24 at halftime. TAMUT struggled to match the Jaguars' shooting but stayed in the game with 16 steals and 28 bench points, turning 29 Jaguars turnovers into 17 points.

 

The Eagles made their strongest push in the second half. They outscored the Jaguars 17-13 in the third quarter to pull within 49-41 and continued to chip away in the fourth, getting as close as 65-62. TAMUSA responded at the line and on defense, finishing the quarter with a 22-21 edge to preserve the nine-point final margin.

 

Starter Breyionce George led TAMUT with 14 points and six rebounds on 6-of-11 shooting in 22 minutes. Chi'onne Dailey, also a starter, added 12 points and two assists, while starter Imani Rothschild contributed nine points, six rebounds, and seven assists in 32 minutes. Despite the Eagles' perimeter activity and 23 forced fouls, they could not overcome the shooting gap and TAMUSA's 7-1 edge in blocked shots.

 

The Jaguars also held a 32-29 rebounding advantage, including a 25-15 edge on the defensive glass that limited TAMUT's second-chance opportunities.

 

Off the bench, Kierra Sanderlin led the Jaguars with 17 points and nine rebounds on 6-of-9 shooting in 31 minutes, providing a steady interior presence. She added three assists and two blocks. Starter Evelyn Lorenzo scored 16 points and went 10-of-11 at the line while playing all 40 minutes, helping TAMUSA capitalize on TAMUT fouls in the half-court. Jada Turner, a starter, added 10 points. The Jaguars' efficiency inside led to a 36-22 advantage in points in the paint.

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The Pilots took control early, opening a 26-21 lead after the first quarter and stretching the margin to 45-32 by halftime behind an efficient offense and 53.4% shooting for the game. XULA pushed back after the break, outscoring LSUS 18-14 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 59-50 entering the fourth. The Pilots responded with a steady finish, edging the Gold Nuggets 20-18 over the final 10 minutes to secure the 11-point win.

 

LSUS' balance and efficiency were decisive. The Pilots shot 31-of-58 from the floor and 7-of-19 from three-point range, along with a 35-25 rebounding advantage that limited XULA's second-chance opportunities. While LSUS had 21 turnovers, three more than XULA's 18, the Pilots offset that with a 34-24 edge in points in the paint and a 7-1 advantage in second-chance points.

 

Starter Selma Markisic led LSUS with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, plus three assists and a game-high five steals in 35 minutes. Starter Ally Fleenor added 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and went 2-of-2 at the line without a turnover. Off the bench, Paula Gonzalez Herrero contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, and a block, helping the Pilots control the interior and secure key defensive boards.

 

XULA stayed within reach behind a strong outing from guard Alicia Blanton, who came off the bench. She scored a game-high 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Blanton went 2-of-2 from three-point range and added four rebounds, three assists, and four steals, though she was limited to 6-of-13 at the free-throw line. Starter Jaleah Lafargue added 10 points and nearly had a double-double, finishing with eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block in 33 minutes as one of XULA's most active two-way contributors.

 

The Gold Nuggets shot 43.8% from three-point range (7-of-16) and generated 23 points off turnovers, using their pressure defense to stay close despite shooting 39.3% from the field. However, XULA managed just one second-chance point on eight offensive rebounds and went 17-of-29 at the free-throw line, missing chances to close the gap in the second half after cutting the deficit to single digits.

 

With the win, LSUS advances in the RRAC postseason tournament, riding efficient offense and strong rebounding. XULA exits after a competitive showing built on perimeter shooting and defensive pressure, but ultimately undone by LSUS' interior scoring and rebounding edge in the neutral-site matchup.

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The Texas A&M-San Antonio women's basketball program is in its second season, led by inaugural Head Coach Chris Minner. In their first year as the fourth seed, the Jaguars won their quarterfinal game against Huston-Tillotson (Texas), 66-60, but lost in the semifinals to LSUS, 81-61. This season, the Jaguars improved from a 2024-25 record of 18-12 overall and 14-10 in conference to a 2025-26 record so far of 23-7 and 18-4 in conference.

 

LSUS has been in the RRAC since 2010 and has won five RRAC regular-season titles and six postseason championships. The Pilots have qualified for the RRAC tournament all 15 seasons. Led by second-year head coach and 2025 and 2026 RRAC Coach of the Year Tim Hays, the Pilots improved from a 2024-25 record of 27-4 to their current 26-4, finishing the conference at 23-1.

 

The teams' all-time history is as follows: