THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas secured a commanding 84-60 victory over the University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Tacky Tacatac was on fire, scoring 20 points, including four three-pointers, 14 of which came in the fourth quarter. Kent Pastrana contributed 21 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, leading UST to their fifth win of the season with a 5-1 record.

UST held a solid lead throughout the game, going into halftime with a 44-27 advantage. Though UP rallied to close the gap to 59-53 by the end of the third quarter, UST responded with a strong final push, sparked by Tacatac, Bridgette Santos, and Karylle Sierba.

Coach Haydee Ong praised Tacatac’s performance, noting how her shooting opens up space for other key players like Pastrana.

For UP, Kye Pesquera led the team with 20 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Louna Ozar and Christie Bariquit added 14 points each. Despite their efforts, the Fighting Maroons dropped to 2-4.

In the juniors’ division, UST also emerged victorious, beating UP Integrated School 87-53. Andwele Cabañero’s 27 points and Jhon Canapi’s five triples propelled the Tiger Cubs to a 4-2 record.

Meanwhile, in another juniors’ game, the University of the East maintained their unbeaten streak with a 70-59 win over Ateneo de Manila University, improving to 6-0.

With UST’s dominance across divisions, they continue to assert themselves as a force to be reckoned with this season.