UT Permian Basin men's basketball held Tarleton State to just 7-23 shooting from the field in the first half and the Texans were just 2-12 in the first 20 minutes of the game from 3-point range as the Falcons held a 39-24 halftime lead and held off #11 Tarleton State in the second half for a 76-64 win Saturday afternoon in Stephenville, Texas.

The win was the fourth straight overall and the second straight on the road for the Falcons, who complete their first ever swing through the Lone Star Conference with a 6-3 LSC record.

UTPB (14-4, 6-3 LSC) started to pull away nine minutes into the game when Daeshon Francis hit a pair of layups on consecutive possessions for a 17-12 lead. Johnnie Lacy put the team up 20-12 two trips down the court later with a 3-pointer at 9:55 of the first half.

Andres Ville scored four straight for UTPB a few minutes later to increase the lead to 11, and the Falcons went ahead by 17 when Lacy and McPherson hit back-to-back treys to go on top 37-20.

Leading 15 at the half, the Falcons went up by as many as 25 as part of a 12-2 run to start the second half capped by a McPherson three.

Tarleton State cut into the UTPB lead, getting the margin back into single digits with 8:11 to play, and getting within two possessions after scoring nine straight points to trail just 57-53.

McPherson responded with another pair of 3-pointers to get the lead back to 10, and a Francis layup helped UTPB to a 65-53 lead with 4:24 remaining.

The Texans wouldn't get closer than eight points the remainder of the game as the Falcons responded each times Tarleton State scored to get the lead back into double digits.

Francis led the Falcons with 19 points on the night, shooting 7-13 from the field with six rebounds. McPherson went 5-12 from 3-point range with 17 points on the night. Lacy added 14 for the Falcons with seven rebounds. Reigning conference defensive player of the week Sammy Allen added 11 rebounds and eight points for UTPB.

UTPB played strong defense again today, holding their second straight opponent in the 60's while Tarleton matched its lowest point total of the season on offense (64).

UTPB stays on the road next weekend, heading west for games at Western New Mexico and Eastern New Mexico before returning home for a Tuesday night home game against Arlington Baptist Jan. 31st.