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Tarleton State University Athletics

UTEPFlukerRecap
49
Tarleton St. TSU 0-1,0-0 WAC
52
Winner UTEP UTEP 1-0,0-0 CUSA
Tarleton St. TSU
0-1,0-0 WAC
49
Final
52
UTEP UTEP
1-0,0-0 CUSA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Tarleton St. TSU 7 7 15 20 49
UTEP UTEP 12 10 11 19 52

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Grant Cohen

Tarleton State Women’s Basketball’s comeback comes up short at UTEP

EL PASO, Texas – Tarleton State Women's Basketball trimmed a 12-point fourth quarter deficit into a one possession game, but the Texans came up short in the season opener at UTEP 52-49 at the Don Haskins Center Monday. 

Senior forward Alani Fluker scored a career-high 18 points in her Texan debut, making eight of her nine shots from the floor. Fluker, a transfer from San Jose State, scored 13 of her 18 points in the second half to ignite the Tarleton State comeback. Fluker had the third-most points by a Tarleton State player in a season opener in the Division I Era. 

UTEP's defense forced Tarleton State into only two buckets in the first quarter, but the Texans' defense on the other end forced the Miners into just 28 percent shooting in the first 10 minutes. The Miners drained a 3-pointer following two Texan free throws and sank a pair of free throws to go out in front 12-7. 

Senior forward Andjela Bigović got the second quarter started by knocking down a 3-pointer, with a jumper by Fluker cutting the UTEP lead to four points after a Miners' score. Another basket from beyond the arc by UTEP allowed the Miners to go into the locker room ahead by eight. 

UTEP went ahead by 11 with 6:40 left in the third quarter, but Fluker fired on all cylinders to pull Tarleton State back in the game. The San Antonio native scored four straight baskets for the Texans to pull Tarleton State within three points. UTEP scored a quick basket on its first possession after a timeout before a pair of Jakoriah Long free throws ended the third quarter. 

The Miners used an early 8-0 scoring run in the fourth quarter to stretch its lead to 12, but a pair of 3-pointers by senior Niki Van Wyk and a beyond the arc trey from Bigović allowed Tarleton State to pull within three again. Senior guard Miannah Little converted the basket while drawing a foul and sank a free throw to make it a two-point game. Tarleton State tied the game off a Bigović steal and a second chance basket from Long to make it 46 all. 

UTEP got the lead back on its next possession, converting a basket while drawing the foul to go up 49-46 with three minutes left to play. Sophomore center Faith Acker answered with a jumper in the paint before UTEP scored again to make it a 51-48 game. 

Fluker got fouled and made a free throw to make it a two-point game, with Tarleton State getting the steal they needed to set up the last shot. The Texans, however, were unable to get a final shot off and UTEP escaped with a season-opening victory. 

Tarleton State continues its non-conference road trip at Arizona on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT. 

Postgame Notes
  • UTEP won the first meeting all-time between UTEP and Tarleton State in women's basketball on Monday. 
  • Senior forward Alani Fluker scored a career-high 18 points in her Texan debut. Her previous career high was 11 points set Feb. 21, 2024 during her time at San Jose State. 
  • Fluker missed just one shot, going 8-for-9 from the floor. 
  • Three Tarleton State newcomers (Arieona Rosborough, Alani Fluker, Niki Van Wyk) cracked the starting lineup in Monday's season opener. 
  • Tarleton State shot 75 percent from the floor in the third quarter and had 58 percent fourth quarter shooting to trim a double-digit deficit.
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