SAN ANGELO, TEXAS – UT Tyler held Angelo State to just 38.2% shooting but only shot 38.5% themselves as they fell by a score of 57-54 as they wrapped up their 2021-2022 regular season in San Angelo, Texas.
It was the Rams who jumped out to the quick 3-0 lead but
Lovisa Hevinder answered it immediately with a three pointer to tie the game. Each team nearly matched each other shot for shot through the first 3:50 as the Rams held just a one point lead at 9-8.
After the jumper from the Rams at the 6:33 mark, the Patriots defense allowed just one made field goal and one made free throw for the remainder of the quarter. On offense, UT Tyler finished the quarter on a 13-4 run to give them the lead after the first period.
The second quarter showed defensive prowess and offensive shooting woes for both sides as the two teams combined for 7-24 from the field and just 29.1% from the floor. It took 4:21 for the Rams to make their first field goal of the quarter, a three pointer to pull within two points of the Patriots.
Tina Machalova answered that shot with a jumper and a layup, but a pair of jumpers from the Rams tied the score at 24 heading into halftime.
Coming out of the locker room it was the Rams who jumped out to the quick lead in the third quarter. They ran out to a six point lead thanks to a 9-3 run over the first 4:41 of the period thanks to four two pointers and a free throw. That run summoned the Patriots defense, and they responded by holding Angelo State scoreless over the next 4:47 of game time
During the scoreless drought, the UT Tyler offense rose to the occasion, going on a 10-0 run of their own to retake the lead.
Montse Gutierrez scored first with a layup, Machalova added four points from the free throw line and another jumper, and
Liah Davis chipped in a layup of her own. A three pointer from Angelo State finally broke the drought, but
Destini Whitehead knocked in a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to give the Patriots a 39-36 lead heading into the final quarter.
In the first 2:19 of the final period, the Patriots were able to extend their lead out to eight points thanks to a 9-4 run spurred on by five points from Machalova, a layup from
Elli Emrich, and a jumper from Whitehead. However that is when the offense went cold, only scoring two points over the 4:05 of gametime and allowing the Rams to go on a 11-4 run to cut the lead down to just one point.
Another layup from Whitehead kept the Patriots out in front by just a point, but with 32 seconds remaining, the Rams took the lead for good off of a layup and then knocked down a pair of big free throws to give them the win.
Tina Machalova led the way for UT Tyler in points, scoring a season high 19 off the bench. Whitehead added in 16 of her own.
Liah Davis continues to be a dominant force on the boards, coming down with 13 on the afternoon to lead the team. Hevinder chipped in seven of her own.
As a team, the Patriots outscored Angelo State 32-24 in the paint and 19-6 in bench points.
The Patriots have now qualified themselves into the LSC Women's Basketball Tournament and will wait to see who they will face off against in the first round on Tuesday evening. If the Patriots come away with the victory, they will advance to the second round to be played at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas.
