A quick 8-0 spurt to start the game propelled visiting (No. 18 – USA Today / No. 20 D3Hoops.com) UT Tyler to an 83-52 win over the LeTourneau University women's basketball team. The YellowJackets quickly closed the deficit to three with five unanswered points before the Patriots came back with six-straight for a 14-5 lead with 14:28 to play.

The YellowJackets (3-2, 1-2 ASC) were led by the game-high 16 points from senior reserve Rebecca Stewart. Sophomore Ashley Reed and junior Kim Wallace added 14 and 10 points, respectively. LeTourneau outrebounded UT Tyler by a 38-30 margin.

The Patriots (7-1, 4-1 ASC) also had three in double figures including Makenzi May and Teylor Seals, who each had 15 and Brittany King added 14. In the win, UT Tyler shot 54.2% (26 of 48) from the field and made 74.3% (26 of 35) of their free throw attempts.

LeTourneau managed to trim the lead to as little as four, 19-15, on a put back attempt by Wallace with 8:48 to play in the opening half.

UT Tyler withstood the threat as they scored 20 of the final 29 points in the first half for a 39-24 halftime lead. With the 15-point halftime lead, UTT shot 55.6% from the field and held
LeTourneau to 34.5% shooting as eight-different players contributed to the scoring.

In the second half, with a 15-point halftime deficit, UT Tyler started the second 20 minutes with the first six points including a 45-24 lead on a Seals layup with 16:31 to play. LeTourneau got as close as 17 in the second half.

Next, the YellowJackets will host Ozarks (5-4, 2-3 ASC) on Friday, Dec. 19 at 1 p.m. at Solheim Arena. Last year, LeTourneau dropped a 62-61 decision on Jan. 30, 2014 in Longview and a 77-64 matchup in Clarksville on Dec. 19, 2013.