LUBBOCK, Texas (November 22, 2025) – The UT Permian Basin women's basketball team outscored the opposition 14-9 in a decisive fourth quarter and held the Crimson Storm to just 1-for-7 shooting from the field in the final period as the Falcons defeated Southern Nazarene University 49-47 in a tough defensive matchup during day two of the Fairfield Inn Classic.

It was a balanced scoring effort for UTPB (2-2 overall) which got 10 points from Madison Walters and nine points from Mikalah Buckley, the team's two returners, and also saw eight points apiece by Kenadi Rising and Waikimihia Douglas-Karauna.

In all, the UTPB defense held SNU (0-3) to a 3-for-22 mark from the field in the second half, including an 0-for-8 mark from three in the third quarter. The Crimson Storm, however, went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the third quarter and were 13-for-16 from the line in the second half.

UTPB trailed 14-4 six and a half minutes into the game, but tied it at 17-17 thanks to a steal and a fastbreak layup by Walters less than four and a half minutes into the second quarter. UTPB then trailed by three points going into both the third and fourth quarters, but a 3-pointer by Walters represented the first points of the fourth quarter over two and a half minutes in and tied the score at 38-38. UTPB never led in the first half and held two momentary leads in the middle of the third quarter after a 3-pointer by Buckley (31-30, 5:23) and a two-point jumper by Buckley (33-32, 4:04).

Free throws would help the Falcons win out in the final four minutes as Rising went 2-for-2 at the line to tie it at 42-42 with 3:47 left to play, and then Douglas-Karauna tied it again at 44-44 with a pair of free throws with 2:50 remaining.

After a steal by Walters, Rising would go back to the line and sink both shots to make it a two-point Falcons' lead (46-44) with 2:22 on the clock. It was UTPB's first lead since the four-minute mark in the third quarter on Buckley's two-pointer.

SNU went 1-for-2 at the line with 1:23 on the clock, making it a one-point game (46-45), and then Walters answered with a layup assisted by Buckley on the next possession.

SNU again cut it to a one-point game (48-47) with two free throws with 46 seconds left, and after a miss by the Falcons, SNU secured the defensive rebound and called a timeout with 14 seconds remaining. After a missed layup with eight seconds left, UTPB would get the ball back, and Jonesha Neal went 1-for-2 from the line to make it a two-point game in the final few seconds, and the Storm could not get the last look they needed.

UTPB finished 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter while SNU was 7-for-10.

With only a 24 percent clip from the field and only three made 3-pointers (15 percent) allowed, it was the best defensive effort of the season so far (four games in) for the Falcons.

"I am proud of how our team battled today and bounced back from yesterday's game," spoke UTPB Head Coach Rae Boothe. "SNU is a great program that regularly advances to the NCAA Tournament. To pull out a win against them while struggling to score is a testament to our team's toughness and grit."

SNU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons, including reaching the NCAA Central Region Tournament finals in 2023-24. While it fell to 0-3 on the season, both of SNU's first two losses this year had come against Lone Star Conference teams ranked in the top-10 in NCAA Division II.

Next up will be UTPB's third straight tournament to open the 2025-26 season. The Falcons will head to West Texas A&M University for the Lady Buff Thanksgiving Classic from November 28-29. UTPB plays New Mexico Highlands University on Friday, followed by Adams State University on Saturday. Tipoff for both games is 1 p.m. inside the First United Bank Center in Canyon, Texas.