TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler has already taken down a pair of opponents associated with the WBCA National Poll, and on Saturday they made it three as they used a second half onslaught to win 63-54.
 
It was a quick 7-0 run to start the game over the first three minutes of action as Meagan Mendazona and Montse Gutierrez dropped in a pair of layups, followed by Lovisa Hevinder catching all net on a three pointer.
 
However, the Pioneers quickly answered with an 8-2 run to close out the quarter and UT Tyler held a slim one point lead. That run would roll all the way out to a 17-2 run as the Pioneers opened up the second quarter on a 9-0 run.
 
Destini Whitehead would get the Patriots back on track with a three pointer, and Mendazona dropped in a layup. Lauren Cortinas scored a jumper herself, and the Pioneer lead was down to just one. Over the final four minutes of that second frame, #12 Texas Woman's would continue their slim lead, outscoring the Patriots 9-6 to head into halftime with a 26-23 lead.
 
The second half saw the Pioneers roll early, but the Patriots just kept steadily getting themselves back into the game behind seven straight points from Tina Machalova and another layup from Whitehead. With just over two minutes to play in the third quarter, Ella Bradley connected on a three pointer to put the Patriots up one. The two teams would trade free throws, before Machalova dropped in another layup and Hevinder connected on a three pointer of her own to close out the quarter with a two point lead.
 
#12 Texas Woman's started the final frame with a go ahead three pointer, but the Patriots offensive onslaught continued as they ran out on a 13-3 run in response to the Pioneers taking the lead. In that run, the Patriots went 2-4 from deep as Hevinder and Mendazona both scored from beyond the arc.
 
That run would lead to a nine point lead with just over four minutes remaining in the game. The Pioneers dropped in a jumper to cut the lead to seven, but Whitehead went right by her defender on the fastbreak to move the lead back to nine with 2:23 left. Over the next minute and a half, the Pioneers would only be able to make a pair of free throws as the Patriots earned a pair of steals and got a stop to keep #12 Texas Woman's off the board.
 
Over the final 36 seconds, the two teams would trade free throws as the Patriots took care of the ball and were able to run out the clock.
 
Destini Whitehead scored a game high 16 points while teammate Tina Machalova had 14 points on 5-8 shooting. Lovisa Hevinder went 3-4 from beyond the arc on the way to 12 points on the night.
 
UT Tyler now gets to pack their bags and head to Frisco, Texas on Thursday, March 2^nd as they have the number three seed in the 2023 Lone Star Conference Championship.
 
That three seed will pit them against six seed West Texas A&M, who the Patriots beat on January 21 inside the Herrington Patriot Center by a score of 76-54.