ODESSA, Texas (January 18, 2025) – The University of Texas Permian Basin women's basketball team played in its fourth straight home game, but unfortunately, the Falcons ended the homestand with their third-straight loss after falling 62-57 against Midwestern State University on Saturday afternoon inside the Falcon Dome.
It was the third-straight five-point loss for UTPB (9-8 overall, 7-4 Lone Star Conference), which was held to just five points on 2-for-19 shooting from the field and 0-for-10 shooting from three in the first quarter and was scoreless for over four minutes to start the game.
UTPB did outscore Midwestern State (9-8, 7-4) 17-13 in both the second and fourth quarters, shot 50 percent (8-16) from the field in the third quarter, and made five 3-pointers in the final seven and a half minutes of the game.
Makala Bingley was the lone Falcon to find her offensive flow in this one as she sank 6-of-11 3-pointers and led all scorers with 19 points.
Taysha Rushton added seven points, six rebounds and four assists while
Nikki Green and
Kamari Portalis both had seven points as well.
Khiara Flugence had six points to go along with seven rebounds;
Morgan Helgesen had six points, a team-high nine rebounds, and added three assists; and
Avalon Munoz contributed with five points, four rebounds and three assists.
Down 20-8 three minutes into the second quarter, Portalis scored seven straight points with a 3-pointer and a layup, followed by a steal and two free throws as she tried to get the Falcons back into the ballgame.
In the second half, it was Bingley who tried to bring UTPB back and she connected twice from long range in the third quarter and did so three times in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter to get the Falcons to within seven (56-49).
A 3-pointer by Green made it only a four-point game (56-52) with five minutes remaining as the Falcons were 4-for-8 from long range to start the four quarter.
Then a 3-pointer by Helgesen made it a three-point game (60-57) entering the final minute, but with 30 seconds left, Bingley was off the mark trying to tie the game from three after the Mustangs' defense somehow let her get open.
Still down by three points after a pair of misses at the free throw line by the Mustangs with 23 seconds left, the Falcons seemed discombobulated on offense and turned it over twice in the final 10 seconds.
MSU never trailed in the game and managed to match its largest lead early in the fourth period when Zarria Carter hit a pair of free throws to give the Mustangs a 52-40 advantage. Carter, the reigning Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week, recorded her 12th double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds against UTPB. Carter leads the nation in double-doubles among NCAA Division II players, leads the LSC in both scoring and rebounding, and also has the best field goal percentage in the LSC.
It was the first road win of the season for Midwestern State, which was 0-8 on the road coming into the game.
UTPB will try to get back into the win column with a win on the road itself next week at St. Edward's University. The Falcons and Hilltoppers will square off staring at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 23.
