Rams drop hard-fought game at Wiley

By Alan Wiederhold
HT Athletic Communications

MARSHALL, Texas – Huston-Tillotson University's women's basketball team concluded its 2025-26 regular season Tuesday with an 81-63 setback at in-state rival Wiley.

The Rams (7-13, 3-9) now set their sights on the HBCU Athletic Conference tournament, where they will be the No. 6-seede team from the league's West Division. Tournament play opens Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

In her final regular-season game with HT, graduate student Destiny Stanford scored a game-high 24 points against Wiley, which included a 12-of-14 showing at the free throw line. Stanford (Midland, Texas / Neosho County CC) also handed out four assists.

Jade Hilliary (San Antonio, Texas / South San Antonio) scored 13 points for the Rams, while senior forward Wilashia Burleson (Temple, Texas / Temple College) chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds.

Wiley's Alexis Foster led four Wildcats in double-figures with 16 points. The 'Cats (14-7) improved to 8-3 in HBCUAC play.

KEY POINTS:

After the first quarter ended with the score tied 16-16, the Wildcats took control of the game with 12 unanswered points during a four-minute stretch midway through the second quarter. Wiley shot of 5-of-6 between the 7:24 and 3:13 marks of the second quarter as the 'Cats stretched their lead to 34-20.

The Rams were held to 0-of-5 shooting and turned the ball over twice during Wiley's run. HT narrowed the deficit to four points shortly before halftime, but a 9-0 Wiley run midway through the third quarter gave the 'Cats a 52-34 lead, a sizable advantage that held up the rest of the game.

NOTEWORTHY:

• The Rams shot 76.9 percent (20 of 26) from the free throw line, their best percentage in a game this season in which they shot more than 10 free throws.
• Fouls and free throws were prevalent in Tuesday's game, as Wiley shot 24-of-33 (72.7 percent) from the line.
• The Wildcats forced 18 turnovers while committing 17 of their own, marking only the fourth time this season the Rams committed more turnovers than their opponents.
• Burleson scored in double-figures for the 20th time in 20 regular-season games this season. Her 17.1 points per game ranks fourth in the HBCUAC, while her 11.9 rebounds per game leads the conference.

UP NEXT:

As the No. 6 team from the HBCUAC's West Division, the Rams will open the conference tournament on against the East Division's No. 7 team. Voorhees (S.C.) is currently the East's No. 7 team with a 2-10 league record, but could pull ahead of Fisk (8-16, 2-9).

Fisk (Tenn.) concludes its regular season at Rust (Miss.), the second-place team in the HBCUAC's East Division. Regardless of their opponent, the Rams open tournament play at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Stillman College.

– HT –