UTPB men's basketball fell just short of knocking off one of the top teams in the Heartland Conference in an 83-80 loss at home to Arkansas-Fort Smith Thursday night in Odessa, Texas.

In a game that ended with both teams shooting around 50 percent from the field on the night, neither team was able to get an advantage in the first half. Each team led by four points at one time in the half, but UAFS was on the leading end as the game went into halftime with Arkansas-Fort Smith on top 44-41.

UTPB tied it up on each of its first two possessions on a pair of threes from Madison Turner and Anthony Dees, and went back on top 49-48 with a Dwayne Soders dunk.

The Lions responded with their second 3-pointer in their first four possessions to go back ahead 51-49, and they never trailed the remainder of the game.

UAFS built its lead up to 63-54 behind eight straight points and led by nine points three different times.

Running out of time in the game with 2:34 remaining and down by eight, UTPB got back into the game behind five straight points on a pair at the line by Soders, layup by Phadarius Taylor and a free throw with 45 seconds to play to get within one possession at 80-77.

A made free throw by Alex Cooper stretched UAFS' lead out to four, but Thomas Feeney made it a one-point game by connecting from downtown with 13 seconds left on the clock.

Cooper made just one free throw again on the team's next possession, giving the Falcons a chance to tie or take the lead, but another Feeney attempt from the top of the 3-point line was off the mark.

Fouled after grabbing the missed attempt, Miha Glavas had a chance to put the game away at the line but missed the first attempt and made the second, leaving the door open for UTPB to tie on the game's final possession.

The Falcons though were unable to get a good look with little time on the clock and their last second attempt from half-court was wide of the basket in the three-point loss.

Soders and Taylor shared the scoring load for UTPB, each scoring 19 points on the evening while Soders led all players with 13 rebounds. Jake Toupal paced the Lions with 16 points, hitting 6-of-12 from the field and four from behind the arc.

UTPB hit four more field goals on the night but attempted a season-low 15 free throws, four fewer than Arkansas-Fort Smith made on 26 attempts from the free throw line.

UTPB is back on its home court Saturday afternoon, taking on Rogers State at 3 p.m.