STEPHENVILLE – Despite a combined 49 points from Tiara Tatum, Ikpeaku Iwobi, and Mackenzie Hailey, Tarleton ended up on the wrong side of a nailbiter in Friday night's season-opening loss to Missouri S&T in the Whataburger Tip-Off Classic.
 
The TexAnns battled to a three-point, fourth-quarter lead to head into the final frame with a 53-50 advantage.
 
The Miners struck first in the final quarter to pull within one before Hailey drilled a three-ball off a dish from Baylee Peck to put Tarleton up four with 8:32 left in the game. Hailey, a sophomore in her first career game for Tarleton, poured in 17 points and grabbed a team high 10 rebounds on 7-14 shooting that including a pair of triples from downtown.
 
A 7-1 Miner run over the next two minutes forced the TexAnns to play from behind down the stretch. Missouri S&T's run put them up two before Peck found Tatum for a game-tying layup at 59-59. Tatum, who made her first official start for the Purple and White, scored a career best 18 points to lead all scorers.
 
The teams traded layups before a Miners' three-ball proved to be the difference. The TexAnns couldn't make up that one-point difference, pulling within one point on two different occasions over the final minutes, before ultimately falling 68-66.
 
The last time the TexAnns lost their season opener was 2011, a year that went on to see the TexAnns claim its first Lone Star Conference championship.
 
Tarleton the opening quarter 17-16 and, after tying the second quarter, won the third fram by a 19-17 margin to head into the fourth quarter with a three-point lead.
 
Behind the double-digit leaders, Tarleton got seven points and seven rebounds off the bench by Travanti Downes while Bailey Wipff scored six points. Kylie Collins and Shelby Mankins rounded out the scoring with two points each. As a team, Tarleton shot .403 from the floor while the Miners shot .443, including a .368 clip from downtown.
 
Tarleton will look to turn things around in a hurry tomorrow night with a 5 p.m. showdown against St. Mary's in the final women's game of the Whataburger Tip-Off Classic in Wisdom Gym.