Box Score Adam Rivera helped carry UT Permian Basin men's basketball in the first half, and Pat Dembley took over after halftime as the pair led the Falcons to a 101-88 win over McMurry to close out a short week Tuesday night in Odessa.

Rivera stepped up big on the offensive end for the Falcons in the first half, hitting 7-7 from the field including all three of his 3-point attempts to lead the Falcons with 20 points in the opening half.

His efforts proved to be needed as the WarHawks shot lights out from long-range early, making nine 3-pointers in the first half to keep the Falcons in range. Cody Leblanc hit four threes and led McMurry with 15 points in the first half, helping them to a 33-31 lead with six minutes remaining in the first half.

UTPB went into halftime with a seven-point lead after free throws by Dembley and Carson Newsome put the Falcons up by 10 points in the final minute.

Dembley took over again for UTPB in the second half, getting hot with seven points in under a minute and a half with four free throws followed by a 3-pointer off of a McMurry turnover. 

He was big down the stretch, helping the Falcons hold on to a five point lead with eight points in the last 3:49 of the game.

Dembley, who scored the second-most points in a game for the Falcons(42) in his last game out, dished out 12 assists on the night, also the second-most in a single game in program history on Tuesday.

Rivera ended the night with 24 points and a team-best seven rebounds.

Newsom added 11 points, five boards and four assists, while Brandon Deravine had the best game of his freshman career, scoring 10 points on 5-5 shooting from the field with three rebounds.

LeBlanc ended the night with 27 points for McMurry, attempting all of his field goals from three-point range and hitting 6-11 beyond the line. He was perfect in his nine attempts from the free throw line on the night.

UTPB is back in action in a week, taking on Dallas Christian Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. in Midland at the Chap Center.