ODESSA, Texas (January 4, 2026) – For the second straight game, The University of Texas Permian Basin women's basketball team hosted a strong team from the Lone Star Conference, and for the second straight game, the Falcons battled hard while their defense kept them in the game before coming up short in the fourth quarter. In the end, the Falcons fell 57-46 against the University of Texas at Tyler Patriots on Sunday inside the Falcon Dome.

UTPB (8-6 overall, 3-3 Lone Star Conference) trailed 10-2 to start the game and found itself behind by as many as nine points (13-4) in the first quarter. A 3-pointer by Madison Walters was followed two possessions later by a jumper by Pa'Shawna Wheeler to make it a six-point game (15-9), and from there neither team would score in the final two minutes of the opening period.

Despite 10 misses from the field and a 1-for-7 mark from three in the first quarter, UTPB stayed within striking distance, and then a 3-pointer by Kenadi Rising opened the scoring in the second quarter to make it just a three-point game (15-12).

After UT Tyler (8-6, 4-1) answered with an 8-0 run, with the last two baskets coming on a pair of 3-pointers, UTPB answered right back with a 9-0 run ending with Rising's second 3-pointer of the quarter to make it 23-21 with under two minutes to go until halftime. Mikayla Buckley then ended the first half with a layup through traffic as time ran down to keep it at a two-point deficit (25-23) at the break and make it a 14-10 scoring advantage in the second quarter for UTPB.

On the very first possession of the second half, Jasmin Holt cleared the defensive rebound for UTPB and took it herself all the way to the rim, where she drew the foul and sank both free throw shots to tie the game (25-25) for the first and only time in the contest.

Unfortunately, UTPB would never be able to take the lead as the Falcons turned it over on five of their next six possessions while for UT Tyler, Polina Latysheva answered Holt's game-tying free throws with a layup on the ensuing possession, and added a second-chance 3-pointer two minutes later to make it a 30-25 Patriots' lead less than three minutes into the third quarter.

Latysheva, an Honorable Mention All-LSC selection a year ago, scored eight points during the third quarter after starting the contest 2-for-2 from three to help the Patriots build out their early 10-2 lead back in the first quarter.

UTPB shot just 2-for-9 (22.22 percent) from the field in the third quarter, but was able to stay in the ballgame thanks to a 6-for-8 mark from the free throw line. That came after the two teams shot a combined three free throws in the first half.

A fastbreak 3-pointer by UT Tyler's Edit Metiverta would make it a nine-point Patriots' lead (39-30) in the final two minutes of the third quarter before UTPB got it back down to six points (39-33) heading into the fourth. Then a corner 3-pointer by Waikimihia Douglas-Karauna on the very first possession of the fourth quarter made it just a one-score game (39-36).

UTPB missed two 3-pointers trying to tie the game before UT Tyler took back control with a layup by Lilli Hakkarainen and a 3-pointer by KK Bass to make it an eight-point margin (44-36) with seven and a half minutes to go. That is when the corner threes began to fall for the Patriots, first from Mariah Neal on the assist by Haley Cumming, and then by Cumming on the assist from Neal on back-to-back possessions, making it a 10-point lead (50-40) before another three by Rising to try and keep the Falcons' hopes alive with under six minutes remaining.

With UT Tyler's offense heating up, another corner three by Neal made it 53-43 with under five minutes on the clock, giving the Patriots a 4-for-7 start from three in the first five and a half minutes of the fourth quarter. In addition, it was a 14-10 scoring edge for UT Tyler at that point in the fourth quarter, matching UTPB's scoring advantage from the third quarter.

A pair of jumpers by Cumming made it a 12-point lead (57-45), the largest lead of the game, with under three minutes left to play, and that score held until the final 30 seconds as UTPB went 0-for-3 with two turnovers during a three-minute killer scoreless streak during crunch time.

The scrappy Falcons' defense continued to keep them in the game, but the offense just did not have enough. UTPB shot 4-for-13 (30.77 percent) from the field in the final period while UT Tyler finished the quarter 7-for-11 (63.64 percent). In addition, the Patriots closed the final period on an 18-10 run that saw them shoot 70 percent over the last 8:45 of the game.

The Patriots also used great 3-point shooting in the fourth quarter to separate themselves on the scoreboard, and finished with 10 made threes for the game. Latysheva (3-for-9) and Neal (3-for-4) both sank a trio of 3-pointers while Cumming (2-for-4) added two makes from long range.

For UTPB, Rising was the lone player in double figures in scoring, finishing with 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting from the field and 3-for-5 shooting from three.

Walters added six points and six rebounds while Holt tied for the game-high with nine rebounds.

It was a similar script as UT Tyler's low-scoring 45-42 road win at Angelo State University on Friday. In that game, UT Tyler forced the Rambelles into 28 total turnovers on the night, held them to just 31.1 percent from the floor and 27.6 percent from deep, and held them scoreless in a pivotal 5:18 stretch in the fourth quarter to hold onto the win. Against UTPB on Sunday, the Patriots forced the Falcons into 25 turnovers, UTPB's most since its season opener, held the Falcons to just 33.3 percent shooting from the field and 20.8 percent shooting from three, and again posted a big scoreless streak in the fourth quarter.

Both teams turned it over 20-plus times, but UT Tyler posted 17 steals and led 19-9 on points off turnovers and 16-3 on fastbreak points. Rebounds were even at 29 apiece.

UTPB has now held its opponent to under 65 points in 10 of its 14 games this season.

UT Tyler finished the 2024-25 season 25-5 overall and made its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance before bowing out in the first round.

Next week, the Falcons will hit the road for the first time in 2026, traveling to Oklahoma. UTPB plays at Oklahoma Christian University starting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 8, followed by Cameron University at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 10.