TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler women's basketball cruised to an 83-44 win on Thursday night over Western New Mexico on Rep the Rose night in their first home game of the 2026 calendar year.
 
Leila Davis, Mileina Sablinskaite, KK Bass, and Edit Merivirta each got themselves into double figures on the night as the team shot a blistering 52.9% from the field in the 39 point win.
 
The Patriots got going quickly on offense, opening the game on a 21-7 run over the first 7:53 of the game as Davis scored nine points in the run by herself, including two three pointers. Mariah Neal, Bass, Merivirta, and Nikolina Vukcevic each contributed in the run as well as the team shot 50% for the frame.
 
The offense kept pouring it on in the second, doubling up the Mustangs 18-9 in the period as Sablinskaite went 3-for-3 with six points and five other Patriots scored at least two points as the Patriots shot 50% for the half and held the Mustangs to just 36% while forcing them into 17 turnovers.
 
In the third quarter, the Patriots went on two separate 8-0 runs, one to start the second half over a 1:43 stretch and another from the 3:24 mark to the 1:05 mark of the third quarter to continue their dominant performance. UT Tyler shot 75% in the frame, with Davis going a perfect 4-for-4 for nine points and Bass going 3-for-5 for seven points to double up the Mustangs 26-13 in the quarter.
 
Patriots putting the finishing touches on a dominant 39 point win as they held Western New Mexico to just 30% in the fourth quarter while forcing five more turnovers.
 
Leila Davis led all scorers with 21 points for the contest on 8-for-11 shooting and 3-for-5 from deep. She added in seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals to cap off a fantatic night.
 
Both Sablinskaite and Bass added 13 points, both making six field goals on the night. They combined for six rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Merivirta went 5-for-10 on the night with two rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
 
The Patriots forced 25 turnovers and turned them into 26 total points and 17 steals. The Patriots held a 38-29 advantage in rebounds, 31-18 in bench points, 56-18 in points in the paint, and 24-10 in assists.
 
UT Tyler will now Sul Ross State on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. inside the HPC. It will double as Southside Bank Customer Appreciation Night, as UT Tyler welcomes all employees, employee families, and customers of Southside Bank to receive free admission. Additionally, the Patriots will have the ring ceremony for the 2025 Division II National Championship softball team at halftime of the men's game and there will be a t-shirt giveaway.