Coming off a career-high 28 last Saturday, Andrea Mancha scored a game-high 18 points with five assists in Thursday night's 74-68 win over Texas A&M International to open conference play.
 
After a Avalon Munoz put the Falcons ahead 2-0, the Dustdevils answered with a 6-0 run. Alexus Quaadman then made a layup before Holly Hemmeline put UTPB back on top with a triple at 3:25. The Dustdevils controlled the remainder of the first, using a 12-5 run to take an 18-11 lead to the second.
 
Mancha got things going in the second with a three-pointer before a pair of free throws from Morgan Helgesen cut it to two and later put the Falcons ahead 22-20 with a layup. UTPB continued their hot start to the second, finishing an 18-2 run with a triple from Hemmeline to lead 29-20. The Dustdevils got within two near the break, but the Falcons took a 29-27 lead to the half.
 
The Dustdevils opened with the first three four of the second half and led until a pair of free throws from Mancha tied it 31-31. Their next lead came after a triple from Kamari Portalis for a 34-33 advantage with just over seven minutes left in the third. Portalis again retook the lead with a three-pointer. A Quaadman free throw then gave the Falcons a 38-35 advantage. The Falcons allowed the lead to slip away one more time at 39-38 before taking control the rest of the third. Portalis quickly retook the lead with a layup and hit her free throw after the foul to make it 41-39. Now 43-41, UTPB finished the quarter on an 11-3 for a 54-44 advantage going to the fourth.
 
Mancha gave the Falcons their largest lead of the game with a pair of free throws to start fourth quarter scoring. The Dustdevils answered with a 7-0 run to cut it to 56-51 with just under six minutes left. Helgesen stopped the run there with a triple to lead by nine before Mancha added two from the line for a 64-53 advantage with 3:14 left. UTPB held the lead the remainder of the way, finishing the night with a pair of free throws from Helgesen for the 74-68 win.
 
Mancha shot 10-of-10 from the free throw line.
 
Helgesen also shot 10-of-10 from the line for 15 points with eight rebounds.
 
Hemmeline and Portalis were both in double digits with 14 and 13 points respectively.
 
The Falcons (4-2 | 1-0 LSC) finish the weekend at the Falcon Dome on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. against Texas A&M - Kingsville.
 
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