TYLER, TEXAS – #5/18 UT Tyler women's basketball moves to 2-1 in LSC play and 6-1 overall on the year after a 63-56 victory over Midwestern State on Friday night inside the HPC.
 
Polina Latysheva and Tianna Knighton each scored 11 points on the night as they led a Patriots attack that shot just under 40% from the floor and 32% from beyond the arc.
 
The Patriots opened the contest on 9-2 run as Mileina Sablinskaite dropped in four quick points and Lovisa Hevinder buried a triple before Polina Latysheva added a layup. That run would turn into a 20-10 run as Tianna Knighton and Mariah Neal combined for three three-pointers in a row to run the lead out for the Patriots.
 
In the second quarter, the Patriots would continue to grow the lead, outscoring the Mustangs 15-11 as they held them to just four made field goals in the period. The big shift came at the end of the quarter, as the Patriots closed on a 7-4 run that included another big triple from Knighton to give the Patriots an 11 point lead at the break.
 
Both teams would score exactly 15 points in the third quarter, leading to the same 11 point lead heading into the final frame.
 
That final frame saw the Mustangs punch first, as they cut the lead down to just six points thanks to a 9-4 run over the first 3:53 of the period. Both teams traded three pointers on two separate occasions over the next four minutes of play, allowing the Patriots to hold the Mustangs at arms reach and close out the contest with a trio of free throws.
 
Meagan Mendazona picked up nine points on the night and added in nine rebounds and eight assists to nearly put together a triple double. Ella Bradley picked up four steals and Lovisa Hevinder added nine rebounds and a pair of three pointers.
 
UT Tyler will now hit the road for their longest road trip of the year next week as they take on Sul Ross State and Western New Mexico to continue their run of LSC contests.