SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - #6/7 UT Tyler women's basketball improved to 20-2 on the year and 15-1 in LSC play after a roller coaster 54-51 win over St. Mary's on Thursday night.
 
Ella Bradley led the Patriots with 11 points while Tianna Knighton added 10 to lead the Patriots, but it was Meagan Mendazona who came through with the clutch bucket down the stretch to put the Patriots ahead.
 
With 49 seconds left, Mendazona drove down the lane and put up a floater that caught all net to put the Patriots up one. She would add a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession to put the Patriots ahead for good and ensure the win.
 
The two teams battled to a 5-5 tie over the first 3:07 of the contest, but the Patriots went ice cold while the Rattlers went on an 11-0 run to close the quarter. The Patriots opening the scoring in the second quarter, but again the Rattlers had the answer on both sides of the ball, going on a 6-0 run to take a 22-7 lead.
 
Knighton and Lovisa Hevinder would connect on back-to-back three pointers to make it a nine point game, but the Rattlers held their own and went back up by 13 with 2:18 to play in the half. Down the stretch, Mariah Neal and Mileina Sablinskaite buried a three pointer each as they cut the lead down to seven points.
 
The cold shooting continued throughout the third quarter for the Patriots as they went just 2-for-13 in the period and 0-for-5 from the three point line. However, the Patriots defense held the Rattlers to just 4-for-11 from the floor and 1-for-5 from deep as they held the Rattlers lead to nine points.
 
An opening layup made it an 11 point game, but Ella Bradley dropped in a clutch three pointer to make it eight points. Knighton added in a jumper to make it a seven point game, and Bradley added one of her own to keep the lead at seven with 8:11 to play.
 
Bradley would add another one at the 6:55 mark, kicking off a 7-0 run that saw KK Bass knock in a three pointer off the glass and Knighton score another jumper to make the lead just two points with 5:01 remaining.
 
A 5-0 run from the Rattlers over just 41 seconds ran the lead right back up to seven points, but a Mendazona three pointer and a clutch layup from Knighton brought it right back to a two point game with 2:40 remaining in the contest.
 
A free throw from St. Mary's made it a three point game, but Mariah Neal would score two free throws of her own to make it a one point lead for the first time in the game. One defensive stop later saw Mendazona get the ball in her hands, and her jumper gave the Patriots the lead for good with 49 seconds remaining.
 
Mendazona and Neal dropped in three free throws over the final seconds to keep the Patriots in front, and the staunch Patriots defense allowed just one point as they held on for the win.
 
#6/7 UT Tyler will next head north to Austin as they take on St. Edward's on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.