TYLER, Texas — Midwestern State (5-15, 2-12 Lone Star) fell to the UT Tyler (15-8, 11-3 Lone Star), 79-55, at the Herrington Patriot Center, with the Patriots dominating the paint with 48 points.
The game began with the Maroon & Gold's
Veonce Powell immediately making an impact with a steal, but the early offensive struggles persisted as UTT capitalized. Polina Latysheva's consecutive free throws at 8:07 set the home team on a scoring run. Leila Davis led the Patriots with six points, including a layup that pushed their lead to 11-0 by the 6:00 mark. MSU finally broke through with a jumper from Powell at 1:53, followed by a three-pointer from
Da'Lonna Choice, who was assisted by Powell, cutting the deficit to 14-5. Despite a late three-pointer from Mariah Neal extending UTT's lead, the Mustangs ended the quarter trailing 20-10.
MSU made a strong push in the second quarter, outscoring UTT 18-11.
Kerbie Cash led the surge with a layup, jumper, and an assist to Powell's jumper at 1:37, bringing the score to 31-25. Cash, who has achieved 8 or more total rebounds to the second straight game, again demonstrated her prowess on the boards.
Katy Greathouse contributed significantly with two three-pointers, including one at 1:09 assisted by
Ta'Leeyah Glynn, narrowing the deficit to three points. Despite Davis's efforts in the paint for the Patriots, MSU's defensive rebounds and a critical steal by Powell shifted momentum in their favor.
The Patriots dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Maroon & Gold 26-13. Powell contributed significantly for the Mustangs with a jumper at 8:41 and a three-pointer at 7:53, but UTT's KK Bass countered with a strong performance, including a three-pointer at 4:21. Latysheva was instrumental for UTT, notching both steals and assists. Davis capped the quarter with a layup at 0:39, extending the Patriots' lead.
UTT extended its lead in the fourth quarter with a strong offensive performance, opening with a layup by Mileina Sablinskaite at 9:40 to make it 59-41. Neal capitalized on turnovers, scoring a fastbreak layup and contributing consistently in the paint. The Mustangs attempted to rally with Powell scoring a layup at 8:41 and adding crucial free throws at 4:52. Powell, who has scored 17 or more total points in back to back games, made a significant impact on the scoreboard yet again. However, UTT maintained control, with Edit Merivirta scoring a decisive three-pointer at 6:14. The home team secured a 79-55 victory, aided by a 22-point quarter and strong defensive play.
Powell scored 17 points and recorded four steals, making a significant impact on both ends of the court. Cash led the team with 19 points and collected eight rebounds, displaying strong performance on the boards. Greathouse contributed eight points and added seven rebounds while blocking one shot.
Latysheva contributed 10 points, eight assists, and three steals, showcasing her versatility in both scoring and playmaking. Neal led the scoring effort with 15 points, making six field goals and adding two steals to her performance. Sablinskaite was perfect from the field, going 5-for-5 to total 10 points, while also grabbing six rebounds. Davis stood out with a team-high 19 points, shooting 9-for-14, and collected eight rebounds, including two on the offensive end.
In their next game, the Mustangs will host Texas A&M International on Thursday, Feb. 12. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at D.L. Ligon Coliseum in Wichita Falls, Texas.
