CANYON, Texas (November 30, 2024) – Playing against the team that knocked them out of the NCAA South Central Regional last season by 13 points (96-83), The University of Texas Permian Basin Falcons battled the Adams State University Grizzlies at the Lady Buff Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday and found themselves down by just three points with the ball in the final 20 seconds of the game. However, UTPB was unable to take advantage and lost by a final score of 68-65.

Both teams had seven made field goals and two made 3-pointers in the first quarter, but the difference was a 4-for-4 mark at the free throw line for Adams State (5-4 overall). In the end, free throws would definitely be a dramatic difference in this one.

Overall, UTPB (3-3) did a good job of weathering a hot start for Adams State, which shot 53.85 percent from the field in the first quarter.

Down 23-16 after a 3-pointer by ASU to start the second quarter, UTPB got on track offensively with a 14-0 run starting with a layup by Khiara Flugence and ending with four 3-pointers by Morgan Helgesen, Kamari Portalis, Makala Bingley and Diavian Spencer to make it 30-23 Falcons halfway through the period.

The Falcons led it 35-29 at the half. UTPB and ASU shot 38.9 and 37.9 percent, respectively, in the first half, with the difference being five made 3-pointers in the period for the Falcons compared to 1-for-6 shooting from three for the Grizzlies.

ASU then started the second half on an 8-0 run both beginning and ending with a 3-pointer to retake the lead (37-35) two and a half minutes in. In all, ASU outscored UTPB 15-2 to start the third quarter and held the Falcons to just one made field goal through the first six and a half minutes of the period.

Two 3-pointers by Taysha Rushton helped the Falcons keep it close, and then a pullup midrange jumper by Mikalah Buckley in the final 30 seconds of the third quarter tied the score at 50-50 heading into the final period.

A 3-pointer from the corner by Bingley gave UTPB a one-point lead (54-53) in the first two and a half minutes of the fourth quarter, but ASU's full-court press began to wear down the Falcons.

UTPB would turn the ball over five times in the fourth quarter, 12 times in the second half, and 20 times in the game. ASU had 15 steals as a team and led 20-10 on points off turnovers.

After ASU took a 66-58 lead with under four minutes remaining, UTPB got a pair of layups by Flugence, both assisted by Rushton, to cut the deficit in half with under two minutes left to play.

Then after a pair of free throws by the Grizzlies and a timeout by Head Coach Rae Boothe, another 3-pointer by Rushton cut UTPB's deficit in half again (68-65) in the final minute of the game.

Unfortunately, after a defensive rebound by Flugence on the other end of the court was followed by another UTPB timeout, the Falcons missed an open layup in the final 10 seconds and then turned it over one last time to end the game.

Rushton led the Falcons with 18 points on 4-for-7 shooting from three and added a game-high eight assists. Rushton entered the game just one point away from 2,000 points in her college career.

Rushton was followed by Flugence with 14 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field and Bingley with 11 points on 3-for-6 shooting from three. Both Flugence and Bingley tied for the team-lead with seven rebounds.

Altogether, the Falcons shot 52.4 percent (11-21) from three, setting a new season-best in both 3-point makes and 3-point percentage.

In addition to Rushton's eight assists, Bingley and Helgesen both added four assists. As a team, UTPB had a season-high 21 assists.

After missing 16 free throws on Friday, the Falcons took just eight free throw attempts on Saturday while the Grizzlies took nine free throws in the fourth quarter alone and had 17 free throw attempts in the second half. UTPB was just 2-for-8 from the line in the game while ASU was 15-for-21 (71.4 percent).

UTPB will return to Lone Star Conference action on Thursday, December 5, at home against Texas A&M International University (5:15 p.m.). Two days later, the Falcons will host Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Saturday, December 7 (1 p.m.).