STEPHENVILLE – No. 11 Tarleton got off to a slow start against UT-Permian Basin and never recovered in a 76-64 home loss on Saturday in Wisdom Gym.
 
The Texans (16-3, 7-2) snapped a three-game winning streak, but still remain atop the Lone Star Conference standings with a one-game lead over UTPB, A&M-Commerce, West Texas A&M and Cameron who are all tied at 6-3.
 
Tarleton led 8-4 early in the game on a pair of 3-pointers by Chantz Chambers and Anthony Davis, but the Texans went cold from the floor the rest of the half. UTPB went on a 16-4 run and built a 17-point first-half lead. Meanwhile, Tarleton shot 30 percent from the floor and missed its final 10 3-pointers of the first half to trail 39-24.
 
The Falcons opened the second half on a 12-2 run and built its largest lead 51-26 with 16:02 left. The Texans got nine straight points from freshman guard Brandon Willis, who finished with a career-best 11 points, to cut the game down to 11.
 
With the lead trimmed to single digits, the game turned even more physical. Five technical fouls were issued in the second half with three on UTPB players and two on Tarleton. But the Texans were able to get back to within four after a 12-2 run that made it 57-53.
 
UTPB, however, stretched the score back to double digits on 3-pointers and at the free-throw line to close out the game. The Falcons went 5-10 on 3s in the second half and 8-9 on free throws.
 
Fouls trouble haunted the Texans, especially down the stretch as three starters, Chantz Chambers, Romond Jenkins and Anthony Davis all fouled out in the game.
 
Josh Hawley and Chambers led the Texans in scoring with 15 points each while Hawley grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
 
Romond Jenkins finished with seven points, Deshawn Riddick and Anthony Davis each added six points. Curtiss Anderson had four points to round out the Texan scoring efforts.
 
Tarleton will travel to Cameron for its next game on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m.