TYLER, TEXAS – (RV) UT Tyler women's basketball used a huge fourth quarter to sink all hopes of a Texas A&M-Kingsville upset by a score of 58-53.

The win for the Patriots moves their winning streak to 15 consecutive games, and their home winning streak extends to 24 straight games.
 
The Patriots were the team to get off to a fast start, as they ran out to an 11-2 lead over the first five minutes of action behind 5-for-8 shooting and nine of those points combined from Brooklyn Palmer and Tina Machalova.
 
A media timeout seemed to come at the exact right time for the Javelinas, as they came out of the break on a 9-2 run to close out the quarter and trail by just four points heading into the second frame.
 
To begin the second quarter, the Javelinas continued to roll, going on a 13-5 run to take their own four point lead halfway through the second. In that first five minute stretch, the Patriots made just one field goal, a layup from Gabby Elliott that turned into an and-one with the ensuing free throw after the timeout.
 
As the media break worked for the Javelinas in the first quarter, it had a similar effect for the Patriots in the second as they responded with a 6-2 run out of the timeout to knot up the score at just 24-24 heading into halftime.
 
Over the first half, the two teams shot just 19-for-59 combined as the Javelinas shot 32.3% and the Patriots shot 32.1%. Both teams made just one three pointer each as neither offense found an extended rhythm.
 
The second half began as a back and forth affair, but a 6-1 run from the Javelinas in a span of 26 seconds gave them a 31-27 advantage. The Patriots would again have the answer, going on a 7-2 run behind four different scorers to pull back ahead by one point, but a late pull-up jumper from the Javelinas gave them the one point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
 
That late push from the Patriots offense in the third sparked the fourth quarter offense quickly, as the Patriots put together a 7-0 run thanks to forcing three turnovers and knocking down three quick shots and a free throw to take the 41-35 lead with just 7:18 remaining and forcing a Javelinas timeout.
 
The Javelinas dropped in a triple to calm the seas coming out of the break, but Destini Whitehead answered right back with her own three pointer to keep the Patriots lead at six. The Patriots combined that with an Ella Bradley layup and a Machalova three pointer over the next 3:26 of gametime to pull ahead by nine points with 3:25 remaining.
 
After a timeout, again the Javelinas dropped in a triple to cut the lead down to six, but yet again the Patriots answered as Montse Gutierrez drilled a triple of her own to keep the lead at nine.
 
Elliott again found her way to a bigtime layup to make the lead 11 points, but the Javelinas continued to claw their way back by knocking down two straight three pointers to cut the lead to five.
 
With 32 seconds left, the Javelinas were forced to foul, and they sent Machalova to the line, who knocked down both free throws to put the game nearly out of reach. The Javelinas would make one last layup, but Whitehead would officially ice the game with two free throws at the nine second mark of the contest.
 
In the fourth quarter alone, the Patriots shot a blistering 72.7% from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc while also making five of six free throw attempts. They outrebounded the Javelinas 7-4 in the period, and also forced them into five turnovers.
 
Tina Machalova led the Patriots with 15 points on 4-for-7 shooting while tacking on two boards and an assist.
 
Destini Whitehead and Gabby Elliott scored nine and eight points, respectively while Gutierrez, Bradley, and Palmer each scored seven.
 
Palmer would collect a team-high eight rebounds, while Bradley added team-high and career-highs in assists and steals with five each.
 
Next up for (RV) UT Tyler will be a big road trip out west as they take on Lubbock Christian and West Texas A&M. The contest against the Lady Chaps is scheduled for January 25^th at 5:30 p.m., while the game against West Texas A&M is scheduled for January 27^th at 1 p.m.