UNO-UTPA Box Score
EDINBURG, Texas – Texas-Pan American rallied from a six-point deficit with 3:37 left in the contest for a 60-59 victory over New Orleans at UTPA Fieldhouse on Wednesday night.
Bianca Torre led UTPA (11-15) with 17 points, none more crucial than the two that came on a jumper with 5.1 seconds left. The game-winning basket capped a furious final minute of play which featured four lead changes.
UNO (3-22) had previously taken the lead at 57-56 on a pair of
Mechel'le Thomas free throws with 54.8 seconds left and again at 59-58 when the guard made a lay-up with 27.5 seconds left, setting the stage for the Broncs' final possession.
UTPA put itself in a position to win after rallying from a 55-49 deficit with 3:37 left.
The Broncs scored seven straight points to gain the lead back on a pair of free throws by Joyea Marshall with 1:46 remaining in the contest. The Lady Privateers had three turnovers, a missed field goal and a technical foul charged on
Keri Thomas during UTPA's spurt.
Prior to the game's final minutes, neither team had much of an advantage. The lead changed hands 13 times in the game, which also featured eight ties.
The Broncs' advantage was 27-24 at the half after the hosts rallied from a seven-point deficit with 13:37 remaining before the intermission. UNO's 13-6 lead early in the contest came after an 8-1 spurt in during which time UTPA was 0-for7 from the field while racking up six miscues.
Over the next four minutes, the Broncs scored 13 of the next 16 points during a run which featured a pair of three-pointers by Torre. UTPA seized the lead in the game for the first time during its stretch and with Torre scoring 11 first half points, the Broncs moved ahead heading into the half.
Mechel'le scored 20 points in the game to lead the Lady Privateers.
Mirjam Sipos added 13 points for UNO, which received a career-high 18 rebounds from
Yasmin Taylor.
Cassandra Moody joined Torres in double-figures for UTPA. Moody scored 12 points while grabbing 10 rebounds to complete a double-double.
The season reaches its conclusion this Saturday at 2 p.m. CT with a game at CSU Bakersfield. CSUB won the previous meeting 79-58 at Lakefront Arena on Feb. 11.
