LUBBOCK, Texas (December 3, 2025) – The University of Texas Permian Basin women's basketball team stayed close thanks to a strong defensive effort and six 3-pointers, its second-most made threes so far this season, but in the end, No. 4 Lubbock Christian University was too strong as the Falcons fell by a final score of 65-59 on the road in their Lone Star Conference opener.

It was a tough assignment for UTPB (3-4 overall, 0-1 LSC) in its conference opener, taking on LCU (8-0, 1-0), last season's LSC regular-season co-champion, on the Lady Chapparals' home floor after LCU closed its home schedule last season with an 82-56 win over UTPB to finish the year a perfect 13–0 at the Rip Griffin Center. With this latest win, LCU has now won 21 straight games on its home court, which actively ranks second in NCAA Division II. It was the first time ever the two teams had faced off in the first LSC game of the year.

After a 3-pointer by LCU to open the scoring, the UTPB defense held the Lady Chaps scoreless for nearly five minutes and took a 6-3 lead halfway through the first quarter after a nice pass inside from Waikimihia Douglas-Karauna to Jasmin Holt for a layup. UTPB's final lead of the game was 9-6 after a pair of free throws by Kenadi Rising six minutes into the first quarter.

UTPB had held LCU to a 1-for-8 start from the field and a 1-for-6 start from three, but the Lady Chaps finished the period strong with 19 points in the final 4:12 of the first quarter. 11 of LCU's 14 shots and five of its six made field goals in the first quarter were 3-pointers, including a buzzer beating 3-pointer by Raegan Lee to end the quarter up 22-13 and wrap up a streak of four straight made field goals to end the opening period for the Lady Chaps.

Despite UTPB's shot opportunities being limited by six turnovers and three offensive fouls in the first 15 minutes of the game, the Falcons opened up the second quarter with eight straight points on a jumper by Ja'Nya Thomas and back-to-back 3-pointers by Holt and Mikalah Buckley to cut their deficit to just one point (22-21) three minutes into the second quarter.

The UTPB defense held LCU to without a made field goal for the first five and a half minutes of the second quarter, but the Lady Chaps were able to maintain their advantage thanks to 4-for-4 shooting from the free throw line by twin sisters Tia Johnson and Deja Johnson.

Back-to-back pullup jumpers by Buckley made it a one-possession game again (28-25) with 2:47 left before halftime and ended a three-and-a-half-minute scoreless drought for the Falcons featuring five straight missed shots.

UTPB trailed by just five points (32-27) at the half after holding LCU, the third-best shooting team in the LSC, to 25 percent shooting (3-12) from the field in the second quarter and outscoring the Lady Chaps 14-10 in the period. Both teams had 10 free throws at the break as well, with the Lady Chaps holding a 9-5 advantage on makes from the line.

Early in the third quarter, an offensive rebound and a layup by Douglas-Karauna was followed by a 3-pointer from the top of the key by Rising to make it a two-point Falcons' deficit (34-32) less than three minutes into the period. UTPB had 11 offensive rebounds and nine second chance points to that point in the game.

Rising would hit a second straight 3-pointer to make it 37-35, and the Falcons would continue to stick around as Madison Walters banked in a nice driving shot to make it 46-42 with 2:11 left in the third quarter.

However, the Lady Chaps pulled away with an 11-point lead (53-42) heading into the fourth quarter after a corner-pocket 3-pointer by their leading returning scorer, junior Kennedy Chappell, in the final minute of the third quarter. The biggest difference in the third quarter was free throw shooting as LCU made nine of its 12 shots from the line, bringing its total for the game to 18-for-22 while UTPB was just 10-for-18 from the stripe to that point in the game.

The strong third quarter (21-15 advantage) was enough to push LCU over the edge and earn the win.

Both teams finished the game shooting similarly from the field and were within one made field goal and one attempt of each other. In addition, both teams shot 35 percent from three. LCU entered the weekend as the top 3-point shooting team in the LSC and No. 22 nationally, averaging 8.9 threes per game. The Lady Chaps were also No. 2 in the LSC and No. 20 nationally in 3-point percentage (37.1 percent). UTPB held LCU to a season-low 33.3 percent from the field, 11 points below its season field goal percentage coming in (44.4 percent), which ranked third in the conference and No. 38 nationally. The Lady Chaps were also outshot from the field for just the third time this season.

The Falcons, meanwhile, have been one of the league's stingiest defensive units to start the season. They entered conference play ranked No. 2 in the LSC in field-goal percentage defense (35.0 percent) and No. 1 in 3-point percentage defense (25.2 percent), helping limit opponents to just 57.7 points per game, fifth-best in the league. UTPB has now held six of its seven opponents this season under 66 points.

However, despite shooting 28 free throws against LCU, UTPB left 11 points at the charity stripe. UTPB's best shooter at the line was Rising, who was 5-for-6 from the line and led all players in both points (15) and rebounds (11). Rising came into the contest ranking sixth in the LSC in free-throw percentage (87.0 percent), and was top-20 nationally in attempts. LCU had 23 points from the free throw line on 30 attempts (76.7 percent), both season-high totals.

Three Falcons (Thomas, Buckley, Jonesha Neal) all added nine points while Douglas-Karauna showed her versatility in the stat line, finishing with eight points while adding 10 boards and three assists.

It was a slow shooting night for LCU freshman guard Meg Meekins (11 points), who shot 4-for-11 from the field and was just 1-for-5 from three against the Falcons after coming into the game shooting 51.0 percent from three, No. 1 in the LSC. Meekins also came into the game leading all Division II freshmen and ranking No. 4 nationally with 25 made threes, and was No. 4 in the conference with an average of 17.0 points per game. Her game against the Falcons was the end of a stretch of three straight games with at least five made 3-pointers. In LCU's last game, Meekins hit a buzzer-beating three that lifted the Lady Chaps to a 62-61 win at Southwestern Oklahoma State University before the Thanksgiving break.

Head Coach Rae Boothe said, "Tough road loss to No. 4 LCU. We will learn from it and get better because of it. I am proud of our fight. Now we must move our focus and attention to preparing for Midwestern State."

The Falcons outrebounded LCU 42-33 and generated 15 second-chance points behind their 16 offensive boards, but shot 36.0 percent from the floor and 60.7 percent at the stripe in the conference-opening loss.

Next up for UTPB will be its final game of a six-game stretch on the road as the Falcons battle Midwestern State University, which upset Angelo State University 65-58 in its conference opener at home on Wednesday night. The Falcons and the Mustangs will square off starting at 2 p.m. on Friday, December 5, from Wichita Falls, Texas.

The 20-game league slate features 10 home and 10 road contests, with the LSC returning to a single-division format after three years of divisional play. The top eight teams will advance to the LSC Championship, set for March 6-8, 2026, in Frisco, Texas.