With just over a month to go, UT Permian Basin Women's Basketball (9-10, 6-7 LSC) is starting to make a push towards the Lone Star Conference playoffs. With Saturday's, 74-60, road win over St. Mary's (6-12, 2-10 LSC) the Falcons moved into a tie for seventh place with a pair of home games next week.
Avalon Munoz continues to score with a game-high 19 points, playing all 40 minutes in her hometown of San Antonio.
Alexus Quaadman earned her fourth double-double in as many games, with an 11-point, 10-rebound effort.
Morgan Helgesen was a rebound shy of a double-double to go along with 14 points and four steals.
Making her first start of the season,
Makayla Bingley got things going for the Falcons with a three on the opening possession. A three-point play by Quaadman on the next possession gave the Falcons a two-possession lead just 90 seconds into the game. The Rattlers battled back, eventually taking a one-point lead, before the Falcons answered back with a 12-4 run of their own. Bingley knocked down back-to-back threes before Helgesen followed her with one of her own to take a 19-11 lead. The home team steadied the ship, but the Falcons led by six after a quarter.
The Falcons looked to run away with things right out of the gate in the second quarter. Munoz started things with a jumper before connecting on a three after the Falcons forced a Rattler turnover.
Kamari Portalis kept things rolling and her jumper pushed the lead to 29-16. The Rattlers got their offense going, but the Falcons continued to answer right back. With the lead finally back to single digits with under a minute in the half, Bingley knocked down her fourth three of the half, and eventually the Falcons went into the locker room up 42-31.
It was the Rattlers who came out of the half firing, cutting the Falcon lead to just five with a 7-1 run. Later in the quarter with the lead down to four, Helgesen connected from long range to push the lead to 48-41. Helgesen later sparked a 6-0 run with a layup after an offensive rebound followed by a Munoz bucket and a pair of free throws from Quaadman. The home team would not go away though and a late run to close the third quarter reduced the Falcon lead to just six at 58-52 with 10 minutes to play.
All doubt in the final outcome was squashed when the Falcons opened the final stanza on a 5-0 run to extend the lead back to double digits. The Rattlers got as close as seven points with 4:49 to go, but the Falcons held the home side without a field goal the rest of the way for the 74-60 final.
Bingley finished with a career-high 12 points in the win.
Holly Hemmeline added seven points off the bench. The Falcons forced 24 turnovers, scoring 24 points off of those opportunities. Both teams pulled down 15 offensive rebounds, but the Falcons outscored the Rattlers 19-10 in second chance points.
The Falcons are back in Odessa next week for a pair of games that will have a major impact on the Lone Star Conference playoff race. They open the week against Eastern New Mexico with tip-off slated for 5:15 PM on Thursday. Download the UTPB Athletics App to follow the team all season long.
