Box Score ODESSA, Texas - Kianna Flannagan scored a career-high 26 points, but it was not enough as the Newman women's basketball team fell, 76-68, to Texas-Permian Basin on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 19). The Jets dropped to 6-11 and 1-4 in the Heartland Conference, and UTPB moved to 10-5 and 4-1 in the conference.
 
The Falcons pulled ahead early, scoring 10 of the first 12 points for a 10-2 lead less than 2 minutes into the contest. In the first half, the Jets tried to close the gap, but can only close the gap to five points twice. UTPB pushed the margin to 14 points at 38-24 at the 3:40 mark on a layup, but the Jets ended the half with a 7-2 run for a 40-31 halftime score.
 
Newman continued the run into the start of the second half. The Jets scored the first nine second-half points to pull to within one point at 40-39 with 16:45 left on an Alexandra Ciabattoni lay-up. NU hang around and still only trailed by one (48-47) after a Ciabattoni 3-pointer at the 11:44 mark.
 
From there, the Falcons took control, surging out to a 69-59 lead with 3:52 remaining. The Jets cut the deficit to six points, 74-68, in the final 15 seconds, but NU ran out of time as UTPB made two free throws to go up 76-68 with 13 seconds remaining.
 
Flannagan scored her career-high 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. She added six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Ciabattoni put in 12 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Also in double figures was Sumayyah Muhammad with 10 points on 5-of-6 field goal shooting.
 
The Jets shot 44.8 percent (26-58) from the field, including 6-of-13 from 3 (46.2 percent). NU struggled from the free-throw line, shooting 10-of-24 (41.7 percent). The Falcons were 28-for-58 from the field (48.3 percent) and 15-of-18 from the line (83.3 percent). Taniqua Ards totaled a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds for UTPB.
 
Newman continues its three-game roadtrip next Saturday (Jan. 26) with a 2 p.m. showdown with Arkansas-Fort Smith in Fort Smith, Ark.