ODESSA, Texas – Sophomore guard Jayla Jackson-Allen had a career game Saturday afternoon, but the University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team was unable to overcome a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter, falling short on the road to the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, 70-68.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Score: UCCS 68, UTPB 70
- Records: UCCS (6-6, 2-2 RMAC) | UTPB (8-4, 3-1 LSC)
- Facility | Location: UTPB Gym Complex – The Falcon Dome | Odessa, Texas
- All-Time Series: Today's matchup was the fourth time both teams have faced off against each other. Today's win for UTPB ties the series at 2-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After winning the opening tip, two missed offensive opportunities by UCCS gave the home team a 5-0 lead before Rylie Ottmann drained a three-pointer for the Mountain Lions' first bucket of the game. UTPB added four straight points, but Ayianna Johnson netted her first points of the game to halt the Falcons' mini-run. Defense led to offense when Johnson, Amyah Moore Allen, and Jayla Jackson-Allen each snagged a steal that led to Jackson-Allen scoring six points for UCCS, bringing them within one of UTPB, 10-9. Moore Allen hit a layup at the buzzer to end the first quarter, but the Falcons outscored UCCS, 8-4, in the final minutes of the opening stanza to take an 18-14 lead.
- The Mountain Lions came out rolling in the second quarter, netting six straight points as Moore Allen sank a three-pointer and added a free throw. Breelyn Robinson then found Johnson for a layup that gave UCCS their first lead of the game, 19-18, and forced the home team to call a timeout. After the short break, the Falcons made two free throws, but a Mya Wilson steal led to a Jackson-Allen layup that sparked an 8-1 run. Ellie Reynolds joined the scoring action as she and Jackson-Allen put down two straight treys, boosting UCCS' lead to six, 27-21, with 5:13 left in the first half. The scoring deluge for the Mountain Lions was halted by the Falcons, as UCCS was held to only three points in the final five minutes of action, all of which came from Brooklyn Hurtado's free throws, while UTPB used its influence on the defensive end of the court with rebounds and steals to outscore UCCS, 12-3, and regain the lead, 33-30, heading into halftime.
- Ottmann found Moore Allen to open up the third stanza for a jumper that broke over a five-minute drought for UCCS without a field goal. Three possessions later, Moore Allen added another three to knot the game at 35-35. Five straight points from the Falcons were broken up by Gia Bradley, who converted on a three-point play. Trailing 44-40 with 3:05 left in the third quarter, Jackson-Allen (three) and Johnson (two) went 5-for-6 at the line in the final minutes, bringing UCCS within two points of UTPB after three quarters of action, 47-45.
- The Falcons' Waikimihia Douglas-Karauna netted seven straight points in the first two minutes of the final stanza, forcing head coach Misty Wilson to call a timeout. The decision to use the timeout halted UTPB's momentum and scoring run as Jackson-Allen came out of the huddle and drained two three-pointers on back-to-back UCCS possessions, cutting the deficit to five, 56-51. Down by eight, Moore Allen and Jackson-Allen created their own 5-0 scoring run with a bucket from Moore Allen and an old-fashioned three-point play from Jackson-Allen that brought UCCS within three of UTPB, 62-59, with 3:23 left in regulation. With 49 ticks left on the clock and down by six, 68-62, Coach Wilson called a timeout and called Moore Allen's number who made a layup followed by another quick UCCS timeout. Down four, Ottmann snagged a steal on UTPB's possession coming out of the timeout that led to a bucket from Reynolds. On the next Falcon's trip down the court, Moore Allen nabbed another steal and put it in for two to tie the game with 26 seconds left, 68-68. The Falcons prevented themselves from turning the ball over on their fourth straight possession, as Jonesha Neal hit the game-winning layup with two seconds left, giving UTPB the win, 70-68.
GAME STATISTICS
- Jackson-Allen led both teams with a game-high 26 points.
- Moore Allen chipped in 20 points to go with her four assists, three steals, and two rebounds.
- Johnson and Ottmann tied for game-high honors with five rebounds each.
- UCCS finished the game shooting 41.5 percent from the floor (22-of-53), 32 percent from downtown (8-of-25), and 80 percent from the line (16-of-20).
- The Mountain Lions tallied nine steals and scored 20 points off turnovers.
- UCCS's bench outscored the Falcons, 37-28, and on the fast break, 13-11, but UTPB dominated the paint, netting 38 points to the Mountain Lions' 22.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Jackson-Allen had a career game today, setting new highs in points (26), field goals made and attempted (8-of-17), three-point field goals made and attempted (4-of-8), and free throws made and attempted (6-of-7).
- Jackson-Allen's 26 points this season tie a season high with Johnson for most points in a game.
- The Mountain Lions' eight made threes is a season high.
- In four meetings, this is the first time UCCS has played at UTPB's home court.
UP NEXT
- UCCS will return to action after the New Year on Jan. 6 at Colorado Christian University. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m.
SOCIAL
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For everything UCCS Athletics, follow the Mountain Lions on social media and stay tuned to gomountainlions.com.
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
