TYLER, TEXAS – A three pointer from Montse Gutierrez gave UT Tyler women's basketball the first lead of the ballgame, and they never gave it up despite Cameron sticking around all game long and providing plenty of excitement in a close game.
 
UT Tyler got out on the run in the first quarter, shooting 40% from the field to open up a five point lead, but foul trouble kept the Aggies right in the game. Cameron shot just 12.5% in the first frame, but went 8-8 from the charity stripe to score 10 points. Six quick points from Frances King provided the offensive boost the Patriots needed, as they held the Aggies to just one made jump shot over the first 10 minutes.
 
Neither team was able to separate themselves in the second quarter, as both teams scored 11 points on 26.7% shooting for the Aggies and just 30.8% shooting for UT Tyler. The Patriots had their lead stretched out to 12 points just over five minutes into the frame, thanks to a 9-2 run that included five big points from Victoria Ikenasio. However, Cameron was able to answer with their own 9-2 run thanks to points from four different players on offense.
 
Both teams would trade buckets over the first four minutes and change of the second half as Korie Allensworth and Lovisa Hevinder capped it off by trading three pointers. The UT Tyler lead stretched out to nine points after King dropped in another clutch jumper with 3:09 to go in the period, but a 7-4 Aggies run with four more contributors cut the lead down to four heading into the fourth quarter.
 
That hot run continued into the fourth as Cameron tied up the game  with 7:03 remaining thanks to a 6-2 run from Allensworth, Kloe Heidebrecht, and Alena Wilson. Needing a bucket, Destini Whitehead answered the call with a jumper, and Hevinder dropped in another triple to run the lead back to five.
 
The UT Tyler lead was cut to three points at the 4:50 and 4:05 marks of the quarter, but each time the Patriots answered thanks to Tina Machalova working in the paint and Hevinder hitting from range yet again.
 
A free throw cut the lead down to three yet again at the 1:54 mark, but the Patriots allowed just two more jumpers to fall in the contest as they connected on another layup from Machalova and timely free throws from Hevinder to put away the Aggies for good.
 
Destini Whitehead, Frances King, and Lovisa Hevinder all got into double figures with 12, 12, and 11 points each.
 
Ella Bradley collected a team high nine rebounds and also tied for a team high in steals (3) with King.
 
The Patriots held the Aggies to just 38.9% from the floor on the night, and held them to only 17.6% from beyond the arc while holding the lead for 37:13 of the contest.
 
Next up for UT Tyler will be another home contest on Friday night against Midwestern State. That contest is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start inside the Herrington Patriot Center and will be the final home contest of the 2022 calendar year for the Patriots.