AUSTIN, Texas (February 14, 2026) – The University of Texas Permian Basin women's basketball team scored the final nine points of the third quarter and the first seven points of the fourth quarter to take control and earn a 69-57 victory on the road at St. Edward's University, spoiling the Hilltoppers' Senior Day. In addition, Head Women's Basketball Coach Rae Boothe earned her 100th win at UTPB, becoming the first women's basketball coach to reach the century mark in program history.

UTPB (14-10 overall, 9-7 Lone Star Conference) was able to salvage its most important road trip of the season with a vital win over SEU (12-12, 6-10), keeping the Falcons' LSC postseason hopes alive. After St. Mary's University (13-9 overall, 8-8 Lone Star Conference) fell 59-53 at home vs. Angelo State University on Saturday, UTPB is back in sole possession of eighth place in the LSC standings with two weeks and four games to go.

Juliet Esomchukwu started 2-for-2 from three, sinking one on UTPB's first possession of the game to open the scoring, and then hitting her second three to put the Falcons ahead 8-5 four minutes in.

UTPB added a 3-pointer by Kenadi Rising assisted by Esomchukwu to take an 11-10 lead in the opening period and finished the first quarter tied at 15-15 after shooting 3-for-6 from long range. In all, there were three ties and three lead changes in the first quarter.

UTPB took its first lead of the second quarter when a 3-pointer by Jonesha Neal was followed on the next Falcons' possession by an and-one by Rising, giving UTPB a 24-23 lead at the media timeout halfway through the period.

UTPB maintained the lead for the rest of the first half, but SEU was able to keep the score close at halftime (42-41) after shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the second quarter and finishing the first half at 50 percent (10-20) overall from the floor.

UTPB, meanwhile, was 4-for-8 from three in the first half and posted 10 steals on 14 SEU turnovers, leading to a 12-6 lead on points off turnovers.

SEU shot 8-of-12 (66.67 percent) in the third quarter and outscored the Falcons 18-11 to start the period.

Down 49-43 with 2:45 left in the third quarter, UTPB battled back and retook the lead after a steal by Madison Walters led to a layup by Crystal Jones to make it a 50-49 Falcons' lead in the final minute of the quarter. Then in the final 30 seconds, another offensive rebound by Jones led to a layup by Walters to make it a 52-49 Falcons' lead going into the fourth quarter.

It was a 9-0 run to end the third quarter for UTPB, which expanded its run to 12-0 after a layup by Walters to make it a 55-49 lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter and then to 16-0 after a 3-for-3 trip to the free throw line by Walters to make it a 10-point game (59-49) with 5:42 left to play.

After displaying its shooting prowess in the third quarter, SEU was held to a 0-for-7 start from the field in the fourth quarter.

UTPB put the finishing touches on the win with a defensive rebound followed by an and-one by Neal to make it an 11-point lead (62-51) with 3:41 left.

Both teams made eight field goals in the third quarter and had just three field goals in the fourth quarter, but the Falcons' 11-for-14 mark at the free throw line in the fourth quarter and 15-for-21 mark at the line in the second half proved to be the difference as the Hilltoppers shot just one free throw in the second half.

For the game, UTPB was 23-of-32 (71.9 percent) from the charity stripe, tying its season-high in free throw attempts, while SEU was a perfect 10-for-10, but just did not get there enough.

Neal had a career day, tying her season-high 18 points while getting to the free throw line for 17 attempts (11 makes), including a 6-for-9 mark in the fourth quarter to help close out the win. She also added six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Walters scored 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field, Rising scored 12 points and led the Falcons with three steals, and Esomchukwu added eight points to go along a game-high seven rebounds.

Esomchukwu and Jones both totaled four offensive rebounds as the Falcons won the rebounding battle for the fourth game in a row (33-27) and more than doubled up the Hilltoppers on the offensive glass (16-7), leading to a 10-point edge (14-4) on second chance points.

UTPB also amassed 16 steals from nine different players, led a whopping 24-10 on points off turnovers, and also led 18-9 on fastbreak points.

"This was our best team win of the year," said Coach Boothe. "This is a resilient group that truly loves each other, and that showed today. We are still in the race."

The Falcons were able to pull out the win despite allowing their opponent to shoot 46.7 percent from the field (second-highest FG% allowed this season) and 45.5 percent from three (highest 3PT% allowed this season).

A tough final two weeks of the schedule for the Falcons will start with a home game vs. Midwestern State University at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 19.