Daeshon Francis scored 28 points as #8 UT Permian Basin men's basketball picked up its ninth straight victory Saturday night in an 88-71 win in Odessa.

UTPB went ahead by double digits just eight minutes in as part of a 10-2 run, taking a 21-11 lead on an Amari Bryant 3-pointer.

The Falcons never led by less than 10 points the rest of the game, and led by as many as 19 on a breakaway steal and dunk by Francis.

A 9-2 run by the Mustangs pulled MSU within 10 near the end of the half, but a James McPherson three with eight seconds left in the first pushed UTPB back ahead by 13 points at the break.

Josh Morris hit a layup at 13:07 of the second half that gave UTPB its largest lead of the day up to that point at 62-42, and later in the game Francis and Zeldric King scored on back to back possessions for a game high 22-point, 86-64 lead.

Francis hit 12-17 from the field on a night where UTPB shot 60.7 percent as a team on 34-56 from the floor. He added eight rebounds and five assists and three steals. Sammy Allen added 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists while connecting on all seven free throw attempts. Bryant and King each scored 11 points off the bench, Bryant hitting three 3-pointers while dishing out four assists.

The Falcons held Midwestern State to 38 percent shooting as a team. THe Mustangs were led by Devante Pullum and his 18 points and six assists, while Brandon Neel scored 17 points with six rebounds.

UTPB hosts Arlington Baptist Monday night before traveling east for game at Texas A&M - Kingsville and Angelo State next weekend.