EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — In a tense, back-and-forth contest decided in the final seconds, the Houston Cougars escaped the UT Pan Am Field House with a narrow 65-63 victory over the Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros in a non-conference women’s basketball game Thursday night.

The game was a tale of two halves, with Houston building a significant lead before weathering a determined second-half comeback by the home team. The Cougars raced out to a 44-30 halftime advantage, powered by a dominant first half in which they scored 22 points in each of the first two quarters. The Vaqueros, meanwhile, were held to 15 points in both the first and second periods.

The momentum shifted dramatically after halftime. Houston’s offense cooled considerably, managing only 12 points in the third quarter as UTRGV began to chip away at the deficit. The Vaqueros outscored the Cougars 17-12 in the period and continued their push in the fourth, putting up 16 points to Houston’s nine.

The Vaqueros’ comeback set up a frantic final minute. With UTRGV clinging to a 63-61 lead, Houston’s Jade Jones drove to the basket and converted a crucial layup with just seconds remaining on the clock to tie the game. The Vaqueros had a chance to answer, but a last-second shot attempt was off the mark, sealing the narrow victory for the visiting Cougars.

Jones, a guard from Royal Palm Beach, Florida, led all scorers with 18 points for Houston. She was supported by backcourt mates Kyndall Hunter and Briana Peguero, both of Houston, Texas, who added 12 points apiece.

Texas-Rio Grande Valley was led by a strong performance from center Charlotte O’Keefe of Overland Park, Kansas, who recorded a double-double with 20 points. Guard Jalayah Ingram from Pearland, Texas, was also pivotal for the Vaqueros, scoring 16 points and dishing out four assists.

The game was a defensive struggle, with both teams struggling to find consistent offensive rhythm in the second half. The contest featured 12 ties and 10 lead changes, underscoring the tight nature of the matchup from start to finish.

With the win, Houston evens its season record at 3-2. The loss also brings Texas-Rio Grande Valley to an even 3-2 mark for the year. An announced crowd of 1,447 watched the thriller at the UT Pan Am Field House.

Houston will look to build on the win when it returns home to face High Point on Sunday. Texas-Rio Grande Valley hits the road for its next contest, traveling to face Texas Christian on Sunday.