By CHASE UPTON/Sports Editor
TYLER, Texas- The University of Texas at Tyler women’s basketball team delivered one of its most complete performances of the season Thursday evening on Hawaiian Night in the Herrington Patriot Center. The Patriots knocked off No. 15 Lubbock Christian University (15-4, 7-3 LSC), 55–45, behind a dominant defensive effort that continued the Patriots surge of seven straight wins to start the new year.
UT Tyler set the tone immediately, playing with physicality on both ends of the floor and extending its first possession with multiple offensive rebounds before Polina Latysheva connected from beyond the arc to open the scoring. Leila Davis fueled the early momentum, scoring eight points in the first five minutes as the Patriots raced to a 13–5 lead early in the first quarter.
LCU responded with a run of its own to tighten the game, but UT Tyler maintained control through the end of the opening quarter. Davis reached double figures late in the period, and a running jumper from Lilli Hakkarainen as time expired closed the quarter with a 21–16 Patriot advantage.
The second quarter proved to be a defensive grind. UT Tyler struggled to find consistent offense, but its defense kept the Chaps in check, allowing just 11 points in the period. Lubbock Christian briefly moved in front, taking a narrow 27–25 lead into halftime.
UT Tyler reclaimed momentum early in the third, a layup by Hayley Cumming and a Latysheva 3-pointer jump-started the Patriots, and Latysheva followed with a stretch of six more points to keep UT Tyler in front. Lubbock Christian countered late in the quarter, but the Patriots closed the period on a strong defensive note to carry a 41–38 lead into the final 10 minutes.
Defense defined the fourth quarter. UT Tyler clamped down on the perimeter and protected the paint, holding Lubbock Christian scoreless from the field for more than four minutes while extending its lead. Davis also added seven points in the period, including a layup off a well-timed assist from Cumming, as the Patriots pushed the margin to double figures and took full control of the contest.
UT Tyler held Lubbock Christian to under 30 percent shooting for the game and limited the Chaps to just two made field goals in the fourth quarter, denying any chance of a late comeback. The Patriots also controlled the glass, as they out-rebounded the Chaparrals 41 to 30, and consistently won second-chance opportunities as the clock wound down.
Davis led all scorers with 25 points and 11 rebounds, the freshman’s fourth 20-point game and third double-double of the season, while also adding two assists and two steals. Latysheva finished with 15 points, knocking down four 3-pointers and contributing four rebounds and four assists.
The defensive performance marked UT Tyler’s sixth time in seven games holding their opponent below 50 points and limited Lubbock Christian’s high-scoring duo of Kennedy Chappel and Meg Meekins to 22 combined points after the pair entered averaging more than 30 per game. The effort also solidified the Patriots standing as the top scoring defense in the nation, now allowing just 49.2 points per contest.
With the win, UT Tyler improved to 13–6 overall and 9–1 in Lone Star Conference play, moving into sole possession of third place in the Lone Star Conference and positioning itself for a return to the WBCA national rankings.
The Patriots will begin a three-game road stretch Thursday at No. 6 West Texas A&M (18-1, 10-0 LSC) in Canyon, Texas, at 5:30 p.m., followed by trips to Eastern New Mexico (12-6, 8-2 LSC) and No. 3 Texas Woman’s (16-1, 10-0), before returning home to face Midwestern State University on Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Nightcap: Patriot men fall just short to No.11 LCU
The nightcap delivered a tightly contested battle between the UT Tyler men and No. 11 Lubbock Christian (17-3, 8-2 LSC), with neither team able to create separation throughout the contest as the Chaparrals barely escaped the HPC with a 70–66 victory.
The opening half was evenly played. The Chaparrals got out to a quick 4-0 start, but Sean Emfinger scored eight of UT Tyler’s first 10 points to answer quick and spark the Patriots offensively.
John Barbee knocked down a 3-pointer midway through the half to pull the Patriots within one, while Xavier Williams and Hudson Anderson provided key transition buckets to give UT Tyler its first lead at 17–16.
The Patriots faced early turnover trouble, allowing LCU to convert seven turnovers into 10 points, while the Chaps also held a notable advantage at the free-throw line, going 7-for-10 compared with the Patriots 1-for-2. Despite that, UT Tyler closed the half strong. Emfinger recorded a late block that led to a fast break that was finished off by a Williams buzzer-beating layup to pull the match even at 36-all entering the break.
Williams and Emfinger led UT Tyler with eight points apiece in the first half.
The second half mirrored the first, with both teams trading baskets and momentum. Emfinger once again sparked the Patriots offense, this time scoring nine of UT Tyler’s first 11 points to give the Patriots a 47-46 lead with 14:11 left in regulation. On the ensuing play, the Herrington Patriot Center came alive when Sam Phipps secured an offensive rebound and powered home a putback dunk for an and-one, giving UT Tyler a 50–46 advantage after the converted three-point play.
Lubbock Christian answered with timely perimeter shooting to climb back, setting the stage for a tense finish. The teams were deadlocked at 63–63 with under four minutes to play after John Barbee converted a layup off a feed from Emfinger. Emfinger later buried a 3-pointer to give the Patriots a late 66-65 edge, but the Chaparrals responded immediately with a triple of their own, taking a 68-66 lead.
UT Tyler generated chances in the final moments but was unable to capitalize at the free-throw line, allowing Lubbock Christian to close the game from the stripe and secure the four-point win, 70-66.
Emfinger led all scorers with 20 points, connecting on four shots from beyond the arc while adding three steals and two assists. Barbee delivered key minutes off the bench, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Williams contributed 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a block, while Phipps controlled the interior with a game-best 14 rebounds, eight points, two steals, and a block.
With the loss, UT Tyler fell to 9–7 overall and 3–7 in Lone Star Conference play. The Patriots will begin a three-game road stretch against tough Lone Star Conference opponents, starting Thursday at (RV) West Texas A&M (14-6, 6-4 LSC) in Canyon, Texas, followed by trips to No. 19 Eastern New Mexico (15-3, 8-2 LSC) and (RV) Dallas Baptist University (15-5, 9-1 LSC), before returning home to face Midwestern State (5-11, 3-6 LSC) on Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
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