The smallest person on the UTPB women’s basketball team commanded everyone’s attention against Midwestern State.
Avalon Munoz, the Falcons’ 5-foot-5 point guard, drove into the paint against bigger, taller players time and again in Saturday’s Lone Star Conference matchup.
Often times finishing a play laying on the court after drawing a foul, Munoz smiled, got up and calmly make the ensuing free throws.
When she wasn’t driving to the basket, she was setting up teammates for easy looks and in the end everything looked easy for the Falcons.
Munoz finished with a career-high 31 points and added eight assists as UTPB defeated the Mustangs, 80-70, in a matinee contest at the Falcon Dome.
“Just a unbelieveable performance by Avalon,” UTPB head coach Rae Boothe said. “She is so tough and never takes a play off and plays hard the entire game.
“This is, by far, her best offensive performance for us and I think she could tell that we needed a lift and she stepped up. It was a great team win, one we needed, and we got good play from everyone.”
Munoz also added five rebounds and six steals to her stat line.
Holly Hemmeline scored 17 points and Alexus Quaadman finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
UTPB improved to 8-9 overall, 5-6 in conference and have won two straight.
Natalie Stice led Midwestern State (4-13, 2-9) with 29 points, including tying a program record with seven 3-pointers.
Eternity Jackson added 10 points in the loss.
Munoz was on a mission from the outset of the contest.
As Hemmeline opened the game hitting from the outside, Munoz took advantage of the space created in the defense to move into the paint.
By the time the first half was finished, Munoz had 18 points and already had several Mustangs concerned about foul trouble.
“She drew seven fouls in the first half,” Boothe said of Munoz, who finished having drawn 12 fouls on the afternoon. “Just a great job of taking control.”
Despite the early success, UTPB had to watch as Stice and company made a run late in the first quarter to lead, 23-19, after 10 minutes.
Munoz then scored eight of the Falcons’ first 12 points to open the second quarter and put UTPB in the lead for good.
The victory allowed the Falcons to relax as they swept their two conference games this week after losing five straight.
Next up for UTPB is a trip to face St. Edward’s in Austin on Thursday, followed by a contest against St. Mary’s in San Antonio on Saturday.
Games that Boothe knows are key to the Falcons’ playoff chances.
“We want to build off this week,” she said. “We are still in a battle for the playoffs and only have five more weeks together, possibly.”
UTPB 80, Midwestern State 70
Saturday, Falcon Dome
MIDWESTERN STATE (4-13 overall, 2-9 Lone Star)
Shawnisay Miller 1-2 6-6 8, Dyamon Griggs 2-6 3-4 7, Maya Kendall 0-0 1-2 1, Natalie Stice 7-162-2 29, Kennedi Green 0-2 0-0 0, Eternity Jackson 3-3 2-2 10, Sheridan Bostic 2-6 0-0 5, Mandy Withey 3-6 0-0 6, Yasmine Sifaoui 0-3 0-0 0, Markayla Johnson 2-3 0-0 4, Makenzee Boucher 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-52 14-16 70.
UTPB (8-9, 5-6)
Morgan Helgesen 2-7 0-0 6, Alexus Quaadman 3-8 4-6 10, Kamari Portalis 1-6 5-8 7, Avalon Munoz 8-19 14-16 31, Holly Hemmeline 6-14 5-12 17, Makayla Bingley 2-5 0-0 5, Diavian Spencer 0-2 2-2 2, Khiara FLugence 0-0 0-0 0, Ally Haman 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 23-63 25-32 80.
Midwestern State…. 23 — 8 — 14 — 25 — 70
UTPB………………….. 19 — 21 — 21 — 19 — 80
3-Point goals — Midwestern State 10-22 (Stice 7-16, Jackson 2-2, Bostic 1-4), UTPB 9-28 (Helgesen 2-7, Portalis 0-3, Munoz 1-2, Hemmeline 5-12, Bingley 1-3, Spencer 0-1). Total fouls — Midwestern State 27, UTPB 16. Fouled out — Midwestern State (Green). Technical fouls — None. Rebounds — Midwestern State 37 (Griggs 9), UTPB 35 (Quaadman 10). Assists — Midwestern State 14 (Green 4), UTPB 13 (Munoz 8).
