After a slow start last season, the St. Edward’s University men’s and women’s basketball teams are off to a quicker start this year.

Men’s basketball

Men’s basketball was 4-2 as of Nov. 29, compared to last year’s 2-4 record at the end of November.

At the start of their season, the Hilltoppers beat Huston-Tillotson University, Texas A&M-Kingsville, and Concordia University. Their first loss of the season was to Texas A&M-Commerce.

While campus emptied over the Thanksgiving break, the Hilltoppers continued to play. The Hilltoppers lost 67-52 against Division I University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks on Nov. 27. Junior Remy Boswell led scoring with a total of 19 points.

The Mavericks scored the first five points and kept the lead throughout the game. The Hilltoppers started the game with five shots but were never able to sink any of them.

After the Mavericks built the lead to 19 points, the Hilltoppers fought back. St. Edward’s reduced the lead to 11 points by the end of the first half, with nine points from Boswell and a three-pointer from sophomore Landon DeMasters.

Senior Mark Watson started the scoring in the second half, but the Mavericks continued to outscore the Hilltoppers.

After another three-pointer by DeMasters and two free throws by junior Khaliq Gross, the Mavericks’ lead was cut to six points. But the rally ended as the Mavericks replied with a three-pointer.

The Hilltoppers were unable to make a dent in the lead, and the Mavericks went on to win by 15 points.

The Hilltoppers’ most recent game was Monday against Texas A&M Kingsville. The Hilltoppers and Javalinas played a close game. No team was ever more than five points ahead. In the end, the Hilltoppers came out on top, winning 70-67.

The game started with a three-pointer by sophomore Zilijan Jones, his first of three in the game. Jones finised with a team-high 15 points.

After a back-and-forth first half, the Hilltoppers were up by two points.

Both teams battled for the lead again throughout the second half.

With two minutes remaining in the game, the Javalinas had a two-point lead, but Gross was able to steal the ball after a turnover and hand it off to Shimeek Johnson, who sank a three-pointer. The Javalinas did not have the lead for the rest of the game, and the Hilltoppers went on to win by three.

“In these types of games, you have to learn to really stayed focused and play defender really well and execute your offense,” Boswell said.

The men’s basketball will be back in action Wednesday evening in an exhibition game at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Women’s basketball

Women’s basketball was 5-2 as of Nov. 29, compared to last year’s 0-5 record with a decimated roster at the end of November.

“When you have nine players of your team that did not play last year playing now, and to do what they’ve done up to this point, I think it’s a really good accomplishment,” head coach Jennifer White said.

Sophomore Kasey Harlos, junior Brittany Ward and senior Haley Tidwell have led the Hilltoppers in scoring in the first seven games of the season.

St. Edward’s first three games were victories against Midwestern State University, Abilene Christian University, and Our Lady of the Lake University. The Hilltoppers’ first loss of the season was to Angelo State University by eight points.

The women played two games over Thanksgiving week, going 1-1.

In the Hilltoppers’ Nov. 24 game against the University of the Incarnate Word, St. Edward’s came back to win, 64-56.

Incarnate Word was in the lead throughout the game until Tidwell made a shot with seven minutes left, making the score 48-47. The Hilltoppers kept the lead to the end of the game.

Sophomore Sarah Milewski had nine rebounds. Harlos also grabbed eight boards.

On Nov. 27, the team had its second loss of the season to Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

The Hilltoppers and Savage Storm spent the first 10 minutes battling for the lead. Oklahoma State won the battle and continued to put points on the board during an 11-point run. Ward stopped the run with a three-pointer off of a fast-break.

The Savage Storm ended the first half with an 18-point lead and continued to build it to 21 in the second half. The Hilltoppers spent the second half slowly cutting the lead down to a final 15-point lead.

Women’s basketball’s next game with is Dec. 4 at Arkansas Tech.

Additional reporting by

Leslie De La Rosa.