ODESSA – Tarleton women's basketball used a big fourth quarter run to top UT Permain Basin 67-58 on Thursday at UTPB Gym.
 
With the win, Tarleton secured the No. 5 seed in next week's Lone Star Conference Championship Tournament in Allen. The TexAnns' first round opponent will be Texas A&M-Commerce, marking the third quarterfinal matchup between Tarleton and Commerce in the last four years.
 
The TexAnns (13-12, 12-7 LSC) got out to an early lead in the game in the first quarter, jumping out to a 12-5 lead at the first media timeout. Mackenzie Hailey scored the first eight points of the game for the TexAnns, as UTPB had no answer for the inside game of Hailey and Ikpeaku Iwobi. The duo each scored 18 points and were the only TexAnns to top double figures in the win.
 
Tarleton led 22-17 at the end of the first quarter. UTPB took a 33-30 lead with 3:24 to go in the half, but the TexAnns responded with a 9-0 run to lead 39-35 at the break. The TexAnns shot 60 percent from the floor in the half.
 
After the TexAnns built an 8-point lead on jumpers from Hailey and Kylie Collins, the Falcons cut the lead to two in the final seconds of the third quarter. Hailey drained another jumper to give Tarleton a 49-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
 
The momentum carried over into the final frame, as the TexAnns scored six straight on points from Iwobi and Bailey Wipff. It gave the TexAnns their first double-digit lead at 55-45 with 7:10 to go.
 
Trejouir Wilson connected on the dagger for the TexAnns, hitting a 3-point basket for a 12-point lead, the largest of the game, with 3:10 on the clock. Tarleton outscored UTPB 18-13 in the fourth quarter to steal a win on the road.
 
In addition to Hailey's 18 points, she also led the team in rebounds (7), assists (4), steals (4) and blocks (2). Bailey Wipff added eight points and four assists while Tiara Tatum, Trejouir Wilson and Travanti Downes each added six points. Kylie Collins added four points and Mankins one to round out the TexAnn scoring efforts.
 
Tarleton will travel to West Texas A&M to close out the regular season schedule on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the American Sports Network and on NCAA.com as a part of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase.