For Immediate Release: Friday, January 03, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

LADY BRONCS FALL TO BINGHAMTON

EDINBURG, TX-Two late cold spells proved the undoing of The University of Texas-Pan American women's basketball team in their game against Binghamton Friday night.

The Lady Broncs were outscored, 12-2, during a span of three minutes and 43 seconds late in the second half, then failed to score in the final 90 seconds as the Bearcats scored the tying and winning baskets and defeated Texas-Pan American, 61-59, at the UTPA Fieldhouse.

UT Pan American broke a 28-all halftime tie with a jumper by senior guard Alex Gravel (Chicoutimi, Quebec/Vanier HS) and a layup by junior guard Amanda Carlow (Pine Ridge, SD/Rapid City CHS/ Northeast CC). After BU tied the score, the Lady Broncs used a jumper by junior guard Mary Decock (Lamberton, MN/Red Rock Central HS/Northeast CC), three layups by senior forward Naima Williams (Houston, TX/Clear Brook HS) and Gravel's jumper to take a 51-45 lead with 6:47 remaining.

BU then got six consecutive points from Jennifer Blues to tie the score, and used a pair of free throws by Nicole Dypolt and a jumper by Kate Townley to take a 57-53 lead with 3:04 remaining.

Sophomore guard Jennifer Piwonka (Louise, TX/Louise HS) connected on a jumper with 2:41 remaining to make it 57-55, and Williams sank a layup and drew a foul to tie it at 57 with 1:51 remaining. Williams missed the free throw, but senior forward Julie Porter (Manchester, MI/Manchester HS/Kalamazoo Valley JC) grabbed the rebound, and Gravel's layup with 1:31 left put UTPA ahead, 59-57.

Blues then hit a jumper with 1:08 remaining to tie it, and Dypolt grabbed the rebound of her own missed shot and scored with 1.6 seconds remaining to give the Bearcats a two-point lead. The Lady Broncs and Binghamton each called time out, and the Broncs got the ball to Piwonka, whose shot from beyond half-court missed as the buzzer sounded.

"We forced them to take a tough shot at the end, but we didn't get the rebound," said UTPA Interim Head Coach Tracy Anderson. "Once again, we had a stretch of about four minutes where we couldn't score. We had a chance to go up by double digits, and if we had, we probably would have won. We had our opportunities, and we just didn't execute. Overall, I thought we played better. Three weeks ago, we would have lost this game by 15 points. It seems like we have to play a perfect game to win. We are certainly getting closer."

Gravel had 16 points to lead UTPA, while Williams added 15. Blues had 17 for the Bearcats, while Dypolt added 14. Porter had eight rebounds as the Lady Broncs outrebounded Binghamton, 31-27, while Kate Townley had nine assists for the Bearcats.

Binghamton improved to 3-5 with the victory, while Texas-Pan American dropped to 0-11. The Lady Broncs will return to action when they visit Nebraska Sunday afternoon.

"Nebraska will be a very physical team," said Anderson. "We'll have to do a good job on the boards against them."

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