Basketball | 2/17/2023 5:39:00 PM

ODESSA, Texas (Feb. 18, 2023) – On Saturday afternoon, the Texas Woman's basketball team travels to Odessa for a meeting with the UT Permian Basin Falcons at 1 p.m.

TWU (23-2, 18-1) with meet UTPB (12-14, 9-11) for their lone matchup of the season.

Most recently, the Falcons defeated UT Tyler at home on Thursday, Feb. 16, 67-63. The Pioneers dropped their game on Thursday on the road to Angelo State, 73-69.

The Pioneers are 9-2 all-time against the Falcons, with five of those nine wins coming in Odessa.

Last year, TWU met UTPB in the Falcon Dome on Jan. 13, 2022, and left victorious 44-37.

On the season, the Falcons are 6-5 at home, winning their last four games at home.

ARE WE THERE YET?

• It takes five hours and 25 minutes to travel to UT Permian Basin from TWU, but it takes mere seconds to click these links and tune into the Pioneers on the road. You can watch the live stream here and tune into live stats here.
• The Pioneers will tip off at 1 p.m.

BIRD WATCHING

• FALCONS FEAR: According to a simple Google search, falcons are most afraid of owls – it's just the facts. The Pioneers have defeated the Falcons in their last two meetings in Odessa. In their game last year, Sadie Moyer led the Pioneers with 14 points. On the other side, UTPB is currently led in scoring by No. 1 junior Andreea Mancha, who averages 12.6 points per game on 38.5% shooting from the field.
• I BELIEVE I CAN FLY: While Google states that Falcons can fly up to 100 miles per day, the UTPB Falcons like to remain a little closer to home, i.e. the basket. UTPB averages just 7.7 three point attempts per game and shoots just 28.4% from beyond the arc. From the field, they average 35.1% per game. In their win over UT Tyler, they scored 18 points in the paint and shot 32.1% from the field. Their big scoring came from free throws, as the Falcons attempted 29 free throws and missed just five. No. 23 Alexus Quaadman attempted 12 free throws alone. The Pioneers will need to limit the fouls on Saturday and force the Falcons away from the basket.
• FLEX THE DEFENSE: While both are formidable birds, owls are stronger than falcons. The Pioneers' biggest strength remains in their fierce defense. On Thursday, UTPB committed just five turnovers. The Pioneers will look to make the Falcons turn the ball over more to convert those turnovers into points. UTPB typically turns the ball over 16 times per game.