OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. – The University of Texas at Tyler used a big second half and a big night from the free throw line to come from behind and earn their 14^th win of the year and their seventh in LSC play.
 
The Patriots jumped out on a 7-2 run to begin the game thanks to a three pointer from Montse Gutierrez and four points from Liah Davis. Oklahoma Christian responded with a 7-0 run of their own to take the lead.
 
Both teams would then go cold from the field, with each having a separate run of over three minutes of gametime in which they went scoreless. Both teams were tied at the end of the first quarter after trading buckets throughout the final 3:48.
 
The second quarter began with Gutierrez knocking down her fourth and final three pointer of the game as she recorded 12 of the Patriots first 20 points. UT Tyler opened the second quarter on a nearly identical 7-2 run. Kelsey Crouse and Elli Emrich added in four made free throws to the Gutierrez three pointer and they jumped out to a quick five point lead.
 
Oklahoma Christian responded with strong defense that forced the Patriots to go cold. Over a 7:09 stretch of the quarter, UT Tyler went 0-3 from the field and committed a handful of turnovers that allowed the Eagles to go on a 12-0 run to take the lead right back.
 
The halftime break seemed to wake up the UT Tyler offense, as they came out of the blocks on fire in the third quarter. Martina Machalova and Lovisa Hevinder combined for 3-3 on their three point attempts in the stretch and the Patriots only missed one shot while taking a four point lead.
 
That run was responded to yet again by Oklahoma Christian as they matched the Patriots run with one of their own. Over the final 6:38 of the third period, the Eagles went on a 17-9 run to hold a four point lead as the fourth quarter began. That run included a scoreless drought of just over three minutes for the Patriots.
 
After a quick Eagles three pointer to stretch the lead to seven, the Patriots responed with a 15-8 run to tie the game with 4:57 remaining. The Patriots went a perfect 6-6 during the stretch and added two makes at the free throw line. The UT Tyler defense also held Oklahoma Christian scoreless for a 2:22 stretch of that run, allowing the offense to turn momentum in their favor.
 
After holding the Eagles scoreless for another stretch of 2:58 of gametime, the Patriots held the lead by just one with 3:09 to go. As time dwindled down on the clock, UT Tyler connected on six of their eight free throw attempts in the remaining minutes and held Oklahoma Christian to just two points over the final three minutes to close out the comeback win.
 
Lovisa Hevinder and Liah Davis led the way for UT Tyler with 14 points each. Destini Whitehead chipped in 13 and Montse Gutierrez scored 12. That marks the sixth time this season the Patriots had four double digit scorers in a game.
 
Davis grabbed a game high 17 rebounds as she collected her fifth double-double of the season. Hevinder came down with six rebounds in the contest.
 
Whitehead had a team-high four assists and Crouse, Hevinder, and Machalova each had two.
 
With Saturday's contest against UAFS being cancelled due to travel concerns with the weather in the region, the Patriots next game will come on Feb. 10. That contest will be against #4 Texas A&M-Commerce. It will be a non-conference competition for both teams and will also be the only contest next week for UT Tyler.