The University of Texas of the Permian Basin women's basketball team dropped its first Heartland Conference contest of the 2012-13 season Thursday night, losing 74-63 at St. Mary's in San Antonio, Texas.

UTPB (6-5, 0-1 HC) held the advantage early on as Giselle Loya opened the game with a 3-pointer 12 seconds in and led by four points on a Briannah Matthews layup. 

St. Mary's (8-1, 1-0) quickly came back, taking its first lead at 8-7 with 17:14 remaining in the first half, and the Rattlers were able to increase its advantage to double digits at 24-13 behind a 10 point run.

St. Mary's controlled the end of the first half, heading into halftime with a 19 point lead, its largest of the half, at 40-21.

UTPB rebounded in the second half, out-scoring STMU 42-34 in the game's final 20 minutes. The Falcons were able to cut into the Rattlers lead, taking it from a 23-point contest into single digits with 30 seconds remaining.

The Falcons were led offensively by Teisha King and Taniqua Ards as each scored a team-leading 18 points. Ards hit 10 free throws on the night while leading the Falcons with eight rebounds while King grabbed seven boards along with three steals and a pair of blocks. Loya added 13 points, 10 coming in the first half.

Lia Kioa scored a game-high 20 on the night and Felicia Jacobs paced St. Mary's on the glass with nine rebounds along with adding five assists.

The Falcons continue road action this weekend, traveling to Laredo, Texas, for a 2 p.m. afternoon game against Texas A&M International.