SAN ANTONIO, Texas (December 16, 2025) – The University of Texas Permian Basin men's basketball team held off a late-game comeback to earn a neutral-site win over Pittsburg State University, 75-68, during the first day of the River City Holiday Classic, co-hosted by Pitt State and Central Oklahoma in San Antonio.

It was the first-ever matchup between UTPB (4-7 overall) and Pitt State (7-4).

The first half saw nether team led by more than five points for the first 14 and a half minutes until UTPB began to separate itself in the final five and a half minutes.

A pair of free throws by Tash Lunday made it 26-20 Falcons with 5:15 left in the first half, and then Lunday added a pair of layups before a two-point jumper by Kyle McElroy made it a 10-point lead (32-22) in the final two minutes of the opening period.

UTPB led by eight points (34-26) at the break, and opened the second half with a 3-pointer by Connor Morris.

The Falcons later led by 15 points after a 3-point jumper by TJ McKenzie made it 47-32 with 15:20 remaining, and went ahead by as many as 17 points with two free throws by Lunday with 13 minutes left to play.

UTPB led by double digits for all but one minute and 18 seconds during the first 10 minutes of the second half, but saw its lead cut to six points (62-56) after a second-chance 3-pointer by the Gorillas' Mason English with just under eight minutes remaining.

A layup by McKenzie made it 69-60 with just under three and a half minutes to go, but the comeback effort for the Gorillas was on as three straight turnovers by the Falcons helped lead five straight points for PSU to get within four (69-65) with a minute and a half left.

However, after a missed layup by the Gorillas with one minute remaining trying to cut it to a one-score game, McKenzie converted his layup on the other end to give the Falcons some breathing room up six (71-65) with 40 seconds to go.

Pitt State would miss a second straight layup and was forced to foul to try and extend the game, and Tristan Lewis made his second free throw shot to make it a three-score game (72-65). Pitt State's foul paid off as Landon Short hit a 3-pointer to make it a four-point game again (72-68) with under 30 seconds on the clock.

It was the second time Pitt State got its deficit down to four points in the final two minutes.

Lewis again went 1-for-2 from the line, but Short's 3-pointer to try and make it a one-score game with 13 seconds left was off, and then after two more misses at the free throw line by UTPB, a final turnover by the Gorillas with only eight seconds left took away their final chance.

This time, Lewis made both free throws to make it a three-score game again (75-68) and seal the deal.

Lunday played all 40 minutes and led the Falcons with 18 points. He also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds and was again a merchant at the free throw line, where he finished 10-for-11. It was his second game in a row and fourth game this season with double-digit makes from the free throw line.

Morris scored 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting from three, his second game this season with five made 3-pointers, and McKenzie scored 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field and two 3-pointers. Both players added five boards.

Rashad Kee was the fourth Falcon in double figures, scoring 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting while also adding seven rebounds.

McElroy contributed with seven points and six rebounds, and despite struggling from the field, Bryceson Burns got his teammates involved and dished out a game-high six assists, his third time this season reaching that mark.

"It was a really good win against a good team," spoke UTPB Head Coach Kyle Tolin. "I'm proud of our guys who have been fighting through adversity to have some success today."

UTPB shot 50 percent (12-24) from the field in the second half while holding Pitt State to under 35 percent for the game. The Falcons also doubled up the Gorillas in 3-pointers (8-4) and did not allow a make from long range in the first half (0-10). Pitt State made just four of its 23 3-point attempts (17.4 percent).

UTPB earned the win despite being outscored 16-13 on points off turnovers, 13-8 on second chance points, 30-28 on points in the paint, and 13-6 on fastbreak points.

UTPB will have a big matchup in its final game of the River City Holiday Classic tomorrow against the No. 20 nationally-ranked University of Arkansas Fort Smith at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17.