CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M's Ashley Leven's career effort was too much for Midwestern State to overcome Wednesday night at First United Bank Center.

The senior from Amarillo scored 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds allowing the Lady Buffs to overcome a five-point halftime deficit to edge MSU 71-69.

Midwestern has now lost three consecutive games to fall to 18-7 on the season and to 14-5 in Lone Star Conference play.

The Mustangs, who will head into next week's LSC Postseason Tournament as the No. 3 seed, close the regular season Saturday night against Eastern New Mexico at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

MSU senior guard Savannah Carver worked for a team-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting and snagged six rebounds in 25 minutes of play. It was the Canyon Randall High product's best game in her third return to her hometown.

The Mustangs led by as many as 10 points in the opening half when freshman Taylor Dowd hit a pair of free throws for a 30-20 advantage with 4:57 to play until halftime.

MSU carried a 34-29 advantage into the intermission, but the Lady Buffs stormed out of the locker room on an 8-2 run and reclaimed the lead 41-39 on a Devin Griffin layup with 14:52 to play.

WT pushed the advantage to as many as eight points, but the Mustangs just wouldn't go away.

Carver bombed in a 3-ball from 24 feet and sophomore Kirsti Degelia connected on another trey to pull MSU to within 58-57 with 5:37 to play.

That's as close as the Mustangs would get as the West Texas A&M improved to 17-8 on the season and to 15-4 in league play.

Freshman Andrea Carter added 12 points and five rebounds off of the bench, while Degelia finished with 11 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Sophomore forward Skyler Warrick and freshman guard Shatoia Gober each returned from injury for the Mustangs.