ODESSA, Texas (Feb. 6, 2020) – Down 15 points in the second half, Oklahoma Christian came all the way back to take the lead at Texas-Permian Basin on Thursday night, then made a critical defensive stop to force overtime.

But in OT, UTPB's Carson Newsome scored 12 of his 26 points, steadily knocking down free throws, giving the Falcons just enough breathing room to edge OC 81-78 at the Falcon Dome.

Newsome outdueled – just barely – OC junior point guard Johnatan Reyes-Valdez, who poured in a career-high 30 points and kept the Eagles afloat offensively, hitting four 3-pointers and going 8 of 9 from the free-throw line. But Newsome hit 18 of 21 free throws, attempting more free throws than did OC's entire team, which finished 11 of 20, including 6 of 10 in overtime.

OC played the final 6:49 of regulation and all of overtime without the Lone Star Conference's top rebounder and shot blocker, Will Lienhard, who battled foul trouble before fouling out. Despite playing only 23 minutes, he still grabbed 13 rebounds.

Despite the loss, OC (7-12, 6-9 LSC) remained tied for 10th with Eastern New Mexico, a game ahead of 12th-place Cameron and Arkansas-Fort Smith, which both also lost Thursday. The top 12 teams at the end of the regular season will qualify for the LSC postseason basketball tournament. UTPB (15-10, 8-8) is in ninth place.

The Falcons closed the first half on an 18-4 run to take a 33-21 lead and when Pat Dembley (who scored 12 points) opened the second half with a 3-pointer, it looked like UTPB would cruise.

But OC steadily cut into the gap behind Aubrey Johnson (12 points), Dedrian Parmer Jr. (17 points) and Reyes-Valdez. When Parmer Jr. split a pair of free throws with 5:32 left, the Eagles pulled even at 57-57. With 3:30 left, D.J. Walter's 3-pointer put OC ahead 61-60. Fermandez Jones answered with a 3-pointer for UTPB 30 seconds later and the Falcons didn't trail again, but they never pulled away, either.

After a three-point play by Newsome gave UTPB a 66-63 lead with 2:15 left in regulation, Reyes-Valdez knocked down an NBA-range 3-pointer to tie the game. Newsome hit two free throws with 45.9 seconds left, but Reyes-Valdez hit a short jumper in the lane with 20 seconds left. Dembley missed a close shot in the final seconds and Johnson rebounded for OC, forcing OT.

Newsome hit two free throws, then had a three-point play with 3:13 left in OT to put the Falcons up 73-68, but Reyes-Valdez answered with a three-point play of his own with 2:45 left to pull OC within 73-71. But that was as close as the Eagles could come, as UTPB continually pushed its lead to four and six points the rest of the way.

Adam Rivera scored 15 points for UTPB while Donoven Carlisle had 10.

OC now will make the long journey to Silver City, N.M. – the westernmost outpost in the LSC – to face Western New Mexico (6-16, 5-11) on Saturday.