ODESSA, Texas (January 11, 2025) – Despite having a great first quarter for the second game in a row at home, The University of Texas Permian Basin women's basketball team came up short by a final score of 77-72 against the No. 9-ranked team in the D2CSC South Central Regional Rankings, West Texas A&M University, on Saturday afternoon inside the Falcon Dome.

UTPB (9-6 overall, 7-2 Lone Star Conference) shot a blistering 71.43 percent (10-14) in the first quarter, but could not sustain the same shooting pace the rest of the way. WT (11-5, 5-4), meanwhile, shot over 52 percent from the field in each of the first three quarters, scored 18 points in each of the final three quarters, and finished at 52.7 percent shooting for the game and 8-for-25 (32.0 percent) shooting from three.

In addition to allowing a season-high in opponents' field goal percentage, one of the biggest determining factors in the game was the Falcons' seven missed free throws in what was ultimately a five-point game. The Falcons shot 9-for-16 from the charity stripe compared to 11-for-15 (73.3 percent) shooting for the Lady Buffs.

UTPB led by as many as seven points (27-20) in the first quarter after a layup by Kamari Portalis in the final minute and a half, and led 42-41 at halftime after a layup by Avalon Munoz again in the final minute and a half of the second quarter.

In all, there were 14 lead changes throughout the first three quarters, but WT controlled the fourth quarter after taking an eight-point lead (63-55) following back-to-back layups to get the period started.

After a three-pointer by Nikki Green tied it at 55-55 with two minutes left in the third quarter, it was a 8-0 WT run from the final minute of the third quarter to the first minute of the fourth quarter that gave the Lady Buffs some separation in the scoring column. WT was 4-for-4 during that run while the Falcons were 0-for-4.

UTPB would try to answer with an and-one by Taysha Rushton and a layup by Makala Bingley to make it 63-60 with eight and half minutes remaining, and then a free throw by Khiara Flugence with 6:45 left made it just a two-point game (63-61).

The Falcons, however, would miss seven shots in a row and trailed 67-61 with just under four minutes left until a jumper by Green made it a four-point margin (67-63) with three minutes to go.

That is the closest UTPB would get as WT took a seven-point lead (72-65) into the final minute of play, and after two free throws by Munoz to make it 72-67 with 55 seconds left, the Falcons were forced to play the fouling and free throw game the rest of the way.

Munoz paced the UTPB offense as she went 7-of-16 from the field and 3-of-6 from the free throw line for a team-best 18 points to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Bingley added 17 points, Green had 15, Rushton finished with eight points and seven assists, and Flugence totaled nine rebounds.

"It was a highly competitive game," spoke Head Coach Rae Boothe. "WT shot incredibly well. As the Coach, I need to have a better game plan for our team on the defensive end. Despite the loss, our team is in a good place and I have confidence that we will respond and refocus for another big week coming up."

UT Permian Basin remains home on Thursday, January 16, hosting No. 18 nationally-ranked Lubbock Christian University. The game is scheduled to start at 5:15 p.m.