The UTPB women’s basketball team managed to keep things close but couldn’t come away with a win, falling to the Texas Woman’s University Pioneers 62-59 on Thursday night at the Falcon Dome in a Lone Star Conference game.
Trailing by five with 12 seconds to go, a layup by Khali Pippins-Tryon made it a one possession game but the Falcons couldn’t get the game-tying 3-pointer before time expired and the Pioneers escaped with the win.
“It’s just good to be able to close out a close game and come away with a win for us,” said Texas Woman’s head coach Beth Jillson. “We’ve been in a lot of overtime games where we haven’t come out on top. I’m just proud of my players and their effort at the end to get stops.”
Macy Wilkerson led the Pioneers in scoring with 15 points, going 4-for-16 on field goals, 3-for-9 on 3-pointers and 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
Pippins-Tryon went 9-for-23 on field goals for 18 points to lead the Falcons.
“We fought hard like we have so many times before but unfortunately, it was the same result,” said UTPB head coach Rae Boothe.
Texas Woman’s (7-12, 4-7) took a 16-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Ajine Taylor scored off a layup to push Texas Woman’s to a 24-14 advantage with 6:57 left before halftime and the Falcons took a timeout.
Kristian James used a layup to bring the Falcons to an eight-point deficit, halfway through the second quarter and Alexandrea Washington scored a layup of her own just seconds later to complete the 4-0 run with 4:10 left in the first half.
UTPB (3-17 overall, 0-12 conference) kept its foot on the pedal and free throws by James brought them to a 27-25 deficit with 2:11 before intermission.
But the Pioneers used a 6-1 run to take a 33-26 halftime lead.
Texas Woman’s began the second half by staying in front and a Taylor layup came on a UTPB foul. Taylor completed the three-point play to give the Pioneers a 44-34 lead with 2:56 left in the third quarter.
A quick 5-0 run by the Falcons brought them to a 46-39 deficit with 50 seconds left in the third.
Chynna Rivera’s 3-pointer began the fourth quarter on a promising note for the Falcons, trailing only 48-42.
Pippins-Tryon’s inside jumper made it a one possession game with the Falcons down by two and Rivera’s transition basket just seconds later tied it up at 51-51 with 7:13 left.
Akinwole’s backboard shot put the Falcons in front shortly after.
Pippins-Tryon drained an inside floater to tie the game at 57-57 with 53 seconds remaining and the Falcons took a timeout.
Moody answered with a layup for the Pioneers and the Falcons turned the ball over.
KJ Stastny was sent to the line for Texas Woman’s, where she made 1-of-2 free throws, giving her team a 60-57 lead with 26 seconds left.
Stastny picked up another foul and made both charities for a 62-57 advantage and the gap was too much for the Falcons to overcome.
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