ODESSA, Texas - Kendall Lentz and Jordan Jenkins both posted career-highs in scoring, as Lentz scored 18 points and Jenkins added 17, while Sadie Moyer added 10 more to lead the Texas Woman's University basketball team (2-4, 2-3 Lone Star Conference) to a 67-66 overtime win over UT Permian Basin (4-8, 2-8) on Saturday at the Falcon Dome. 

"Incredible display of toughness and grit to continually battle and overcome adversity," said head coach Beth Jillson. "I'm proud of how we stayed connected and responded down the stretch. Kendall and Jordan did a great job of being aggressive and knocking down free throws down the stretch."

Of all of Lentz' points, none were bigger than the two she collected at the charity stripe with 12 seconds remaining in the overtime period that sealed the Pioneers' victory. 

UTPB opened a modest lead in the first quarter, scoring the first four points of the game. However, TWU put up the next five, taking its first lead on a Macy Wilkerson jumper at the 4:26 mark. The lead was short-lived, however, as a 3-pointer by Morgan Helgesen put UTPB ahead less than 20 seconds later, and the Pioneers did not hit a field goal for the remainder of the quarter, using a pair of free throws with 30 seconds to play to pull to within 10-7 after the opening quarter. 

Neither teamcould buy a bucket over the first 2:30 of the second quarter, but Lentz buried a 3-pointer at the 7:30 mark to tie the contest at 10. Again Helgesen answered with another 3-pointer, but this time it was Jenkins with a 3-pointer of her own to knot the game at 13 again. 

The two teams traded leads over the next several minutes, with a Rory Carter jumper tying the game at 19-19 with 3:32 to play until half. However, a free-throw by Wilkerson kick-started an 8-0 run to close the half and give the Pioneers a 27-19 halftime lead. 

The TWU lead reached double digits (36-25) in the third quarter on a Lentz jumper with just over three minutes to play, and while UTPB briefly cut the lead to six (36-30) with 1:31 remaining in the half, the Pioneers finished strong, and Ma'K'La Woods' jumper with one second left put the Pioneers ahead by 11 going into the fourth quarter. 

UTPB chipped away at the Pioneers' lead through the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter, and made it a one-possession game (48-45) with 4:32 to play. After a pair of stops, UTPB cut the Pioneers lead to one (48-47) with 3:30 to play, forcing a TWU timeout. 

While TWU was able to slow the UTPB momentum, the PIoneers did not stop it as UTPB knotted the game at 50-50 with 2:15 to play. After a pair of Lentz free-throws put TWU ahead 52-50 with 1:44 remaining, again the Falcons knotted the game at 52 with 10 seconds to play. 

The Pioneers took a timeout, and Lentz was immediately fouled on the inbounds pass and sent to the line. The senior hit both shots to give the Pioneers a two-point lead once again, but UTPB dialed up a game-tying jumper with three seconds to play in regulation that sent the game to overtime. 

UTPB carried momentum into the overtime period, pulling ahead for the first time since the second quarter, and taking a 3-point (63-60) lead with 1:21 to play after a Rory Carter 3-pointer. 

However, the Pioneers answered with a game-tying three by Amaya Briggs with 1:05 to play in the overtime period, and took their first lead of the OT with 27 seconds remaining on a Moyer layup. 

Again, UTPB turned to Helgesen, who drained a 3-pointer with 13 seconds to play that gave UTPB a one-point (66-65) lead and forcing a TWU timeout. Lentz was fouled on the inbounds pass, setting up the game-winning free-throws with 12 seconds to play. 

The Pioneers held a 34.0 to 31.7 percent advantage from the floor, while UTPB held a 36.8 to 27.8 percent advantage from long range. Both teams were frequent visitors to the free-throw line, but it was the Pioneers who made the most of those trips, connecting on 81.1 percent (30-of-37) to UTPB's 61.3 percent (19-of-31). UTPB held a 45-40 rebounding edge. 

TWU took advantage of UTPB turnovers, outscoring the Falcons 16-15 in points off turnovers while UTPB held advantages in second-chance points (13-4), bench points (34-14), and points in the paint (18-16). Fast break points were even at nine. 

The Pioneers are scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, February 2, hosting Angelo State in a 2 p.m. matchup at Kitty Magee Arena.