WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- The UT Tyler women's basketball team opened the season with a strong first-half performance, but Dixie State pulled away in the second half to post a 75-41 victory over the Patriots Friday afternoon at the Ashbrook Classic hosted by Midwestern State.
Beezy Birchette led UT Tyler with 12 points, and she collected a game-high 9 rebounds and team-highs of 2 assists and 2 steals to lead the Patriots.
With the loss, UT Tyler opens the season 0-1 while Dixie State is now 1-0.
How It Happened: The Patriots controlled the paint through the first half to head into halftime trailing by just two points, 29-27. UT Tyler posted a 25-22 rebounding edge and a 14-8 advantage in scoring in the paint in the first half.
Beezy Birchette scored all 12 of her points in the first half, including a three-pointer in the final minute of the second quarter to give UT Tyler a 27-26 lead, its last lead of the game. Dixie State's Madi Loftus answered with a three-pointer which gave the Trailblazers a 29-27 halftime lead.
Dixie State exploded for 28 points in the third quarter alone, nearly doubling the Trailblazers' entire first-half scoring total. The Trailblazers posted an 18-4 run over the final 10 minutes to complete the 75-41 victory.
Turning Point: After
Ruth Nwokora and
Tyreesha Blaylock scored baskets inside within the first three minutes of the second half to keep UT Tyler within three, 34-31, Dixie State closed out the third quarter with a 23-6 run to take a 57-37 lead after three quarters. The Trailblazers made seven consecutive shots over the final 3:39 of the quarter, turning a 38-33 lead into a commanding 20-point edge heading into the final quarter.
UT Tyler Standouts: Beezy Birchette made 4-of-8 shots from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, adding a game-high 9 rebounds to go with team-highs of 2 steals and 2 assists.
Tyreesha Blaylock and
Lauren Riles were the Patriots' next-highest scorers, tallying 8 points each.
Dixie State Standouts: Three players scored in double figures for the Trailblazers, led by Ali Franks' game-high 19 points to go with 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Keslee Stevenson added 11 points, and Emily Isaacson scored 10 for Dixie State, while Ashley Greenwood tallied game-highs of 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Chesney Stevens led the Trailblazers defensively with 3 blocks.
By The Numbers: Dixie State finished with a 54-35 rebounding edge, flipping the Patriots' first-half rebounding margin (25-22) with a commanding 32-10 margin on the boards after halftime… The Trailblazers shot 42 percent (27-for-65) from the field, including a 37 percent (10-for-27) clip from 3-point range… Dixie State was also a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line… UT Tyler made 3-of-8 first-half three-pointers… Dixie State produced an 18-8 edge in points off turnovers, 12-4 in second chance points, 32-16 in bench scoring, and 30-22 in points in the paint.
What's Next: The Patriots wrap up the season-opening weekend Saturday at the Ashbrook Classic hosted by Midwestern State with a 5:30 p.m. neutral-site matchup against Westminster College. The Patriots turn around just 48 hours later for the home opener against Texas College on Monday, Nov. 11, at 5:30 p.m.
