UT Permian Basin women's basketball fell in their season-opener to Regis 64-53, despite holding a two point halftime lead.

The Falcons (0-1) opened the game with a jumper by Sarah Bersang.  A Kristian James basket and a three by Alexandria Washington pushed the early lead to 7-0.  A 15-2 Regis (1-0) run, including three threes, during a five minute scoring drought but the Rangers up 15-9.  Just before the end of the quarter, Lemia Ntor-Ue would knock down a jumper to end the quarter down 15-11.  A pair of Khali Pippins-Tryon free throws and a Bersang three gave the Falcons the lead right back, but the Rangers would answer with an 8-0 run of their own.  The Falcon defense would tighten the screws and hold the Rangers to just one bucket over a five-minute stretch.  They would close the half with an 8-0 run with Ntor-Ue scoring four points to head into the half up 32-30.

Four points from Pippins-Tryon and a basket from Ntor-Ue to start the third quarter pushed the lead to 38-30.  Regis would come right back with threes on three straight possessions, while the Falcons went on an extended scoreless stretch.  After the Rangers would push the lead to nine, the Falcons would cut into it with four points to close the quarter.  The Rangers would hit four straight shots, including two three-pointers, early in the fourth quarter to push the lead to as high as 13.  From there out the Falcons would get no closer than nine with four minutes to go.  The Falcon defense did hold the Rangers without a field goal for the final 7:15 of the game.

Pippins-Tryon and Ntor-Ue led the Falcons with 10 points each.  Pippins-Tryon was a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line, while the Falcons went 15-17 as a team.  As a team the Falcons shot 46.2 percent while holding Regis to 35.5 percent.  Regis led the battle on the perimeter hitting 11 threes to just two for the Falcons. 

The Falcons return to play tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. when they take on Colorado at Colorado Springs as they continue to open the season in Canyon, Texas.