The tank ran dry for the UTPB women’s basketball team.
Battling illness and a short bench, the Falcons fought their way into the lead after three quarters and then hit the wall.
Visiting Texas A&M-Kingsville was quick to take advantage.
Mia Rivers scored 10 of her game-high 17 points in the final quarter to lift the Javelinas toa 65-55 victory over UTPB in Lone Star Conference play Saturday at the Falcon Dome.
Rivers was 8-of-10 from the free throw line in the final period as the Javelinas (4-2 overall, 1-1 in conference) went to the line 17 times in the fourth quarter.
Jayde Tschritter added 15 points to the victory, with Janessa Payne finishing with 13.
Georgia Ohiaeri grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for the Javelinas.
Alexus Quaadman scored 14 points to lead UTPB (4-4, 1-1), with Morgan Helgesen finishing with 12 in the loss.
Holly Hemmeline finished with a team high five rebounds.
The Falcons held a 10-8 lead in the first quarter before Tschritter and Payne each connected on 3-pointers in the final minute to push Texas A&M-Kingsville in front.
UTPB quickly tied the game, 14-14, to start the second quarter on back-to-back field goals by Morgan Helgesen but the Javelinas jumped right back in front, 19-14, on five consecutive points by Rivers.
Helgesen matched that effort to knot the game again before the teams began trading baskets headed toward a halftime tie (30-30).
The Falcons ran out to a 38-30 lead in the first 2:20 of the third quarter on a layup by Quaadman, a 3-pointer by Hemmeline and another 3-pointer, this one from Helgesen.
That was the largest lead of the game for the Falcons as the Javelinas slowly chipped away to get it within three points heading into the final quarter.
That set up Texas A&M-Kingsville for its fourth-quarter rally.
>> Follow Lee Scheide on Twitter at @OALeeScheide
