In the highly anticipated 2025 Battle of the Saints against the St. Mary’s University Rattlers women’s basketball, students and parents filled the stands to watch the nail-biting game. Both teams put up a relentless fight, and despite leading for almost all of the game, the Hilltoppers couldn’t come back from late free throws from the Rattlers, falling 63-61 in a hard fought Lone Star Conference battle and last home game on Wednesday night.
With seven lead changes and eight ties, this game was a battle from start to finish. St. Edward’s started out strong, leading in the first half of the game 34-25 with a buzzer beater by Bailey Featherstone. Kiana Bennett and JP Perkins each contributed with 12 points, helping the Hilltoppers maintain control for the majority of the game.
“In the second half, we ran into a wall, and we just couldn’t get over it,” Featherstone said. “It was tough for us to experience this loss in our last home game, but we play them again on Saturday and we’re going to get them back.”
Despite not being a starter, Featherstone continues to prove herself to be crucial to the team. She carried out 20 points and nine rebounds, making her presence felt throughout the gym. Her ability to step up, especially on defense, showcases her value to the team beyond scoring. As she and the other future juniors continue to gain more experience, they will play a key role in shaping the future of the program.
“Our seniors are leaving, and they bring a lot of toughness, grit and leadership,” Featherstone said. “It’s going to take a lot for us to fill big shoes.”
The Hilltoppers built a strong lead in the third quarter, with the score at 36-26 after a pair of free throws. With just over three minutes left, the Rattlers took their first lead of the half at 55-54, but Featherstone responded with a free throw to put St. Edward’s back on top, 56-55.
In the fourth quarter, the momentum shifted with St. Mary’s hitting back. Viewers were on the edge of their seats as they passed the lead back and forth. Both teams called multiple timeouts to fine tune their strategies to secure a win. A final timeout set up one last chance for St. Edward’s, but a missed 3-pointer from Bennett in the closing seconds allowed St. Mary’s to seal the win with another free throw after a foul from Ramsey Robledo, making it 63-61.
With the loss, St. Edward’s fell to 11-19 overall and 7-13 in the Lone Star Conference play. With only one game left in the season and the Hilltoppers now holding the 12th seed in the LSC standings, they will not advance to the playoffs, since only seeds one through eight qualify. St. Mary’s rises to 10th seed, but final standings will be decided after a second edition of the Battle of the Saints, this time at St. Mary’s, on Saturday at 1 p.m.
