ODESSA, Texas (December 13, 2025) – The University of Texas Permian Basin men's basketball team led by nine points at halftime, but was held scoreless for the first five minutes of the second half while being outscored 12-0 during that stretch, and never recovered en route to its second three-point loss in as many games. In the end, the Falcons fell 72-69 against Texas A&M International University on Saturday inside the Falcon Dome.

Just two days after totaling eight points in the first five minutes of the game on Thursday, Tash Lunday scored the first five points of the game for UTPB (3-7 overall, 0-4 Lone Star Conference) for the second game in a row on Saturday, and accounted for 11 of the Falcons' first 19 points. Lunday had 11 points and four rebounds already and hit four straight free throws to make it a 19-12 Falcons' lead with 10:39 left in the first half.

The first half would also feature the first points as a Falcon for TJ McKenzie, who joined the men's basketball team this week after the football team finished up its season in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs last weekend. McKenzie hit his first basket of the season with a midrange jumper from the baseline to make it 25-16 UTPB with seven minutes left in the first half. He would finish as the Falcons' third leading scorer in the game with nine points.

UTPB led 39-30 at the break, but things took a turn to start the second half as the Falcons missed their first seven shots of the period while TAMIU made each of its first four shots of the half and took its first lead of the game (40-39) with a free throw just over four minutes into the period.

TAMIU got its leading scorer, Caylen Goff Brown, going with eight points in the first seven minutes of the half while for UTPB, Lunday continued tearing it up from the free throw line to try and keep the Falcons in it. Lunday then sank a 3-pointer to tie it at 59-59 with six minutes remaining.

With 4:20 remaining, it was tied again (62-62) after Connor Morris finally got one of his seven 3-point attempts on the game to fall. It was the third assist on a 3-pointer during the second half by Bryceson Burns.

Two free throws by Rashad Kee tied it one last time (64-64) with 3:17 to go, but 50 seconds later, it was Lunday who missed a free throw with a chance to tie, making it a 66-65 advantage for the Dustdevils with under two and a half minutes left to play.

UTPB trailed by four (69-65) with under a minute left, and two free throws by Burns cut it to 69-67 with 33 seconds left. After TAMIU went just 1-for-2 at the line, Burns took it himself and went straight in for the dunk to make it just a one-point game (70-69) with 20 seconds on the clock.

However, this time TAMIU would go 2-for-2 at the line with 9.2 seconds remaining, and Burns' layup attempt trying to extend the game was blocked, essentially ending the game.

It was the second game in a row UTPB lost after never trailing in the first half.

Lunday led all players with 23 points, and was 11-for-12 from the free throw line while adding seven rebounds.

Burns was next with 15 points while shooting 50 percent (6-12) from the field and adding a game-high five assists.

Kee finished with eight points and six rebounds while Kyle McElroy added seven points and five boards.

The Falcons were held to under 35 percent shooting in the second half, and despite holding the Dustdevils to 1-for-16 shooting from three for the game, still allowed TAMIU to shoot 55.56 percent (15-27) in the final period. The Dustdevils also shot 20 free throws in the second half, but made just 60 percent (12-20).

UTPB was 10-for-12 (83.33 percent) from the line in both halves. A part of UTPB's advantage in the first half was free throws as the Dustdevils were just 3-for-6 from the line in the opening 20 minutes.

Next week will see the Falcons head to the River City Holiday Classic in San Antonio, Texas, for the second year in a row. UTPB will battle tournament host Pittsburg State University at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, December 16, before taking on No. 25-ranked University of Arkansas Fort Smith at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17.