UT TYLER 6-9 FRESHMAN Bryson Power puts up a shot against Howard Payne on Saturday at the Herrington Patriot Center.

Both UT Tyler basketball teams started fast, but only the women’s squad completed the mission on Saturday against Howard Payne at the Herrington Patriot Center.

In the women’s game, the Patriots led 21-10 after the first quarter and held on for a 68-59 victory over the Yellow Jackets.

In the men’s game, the Patriots led 51-41 at halftime, but HPU slowed the pace to force overtime and the Yellow Jackets won 87-75.

The Patriots are on the road for the next two games — Thursday vs. Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana (5:30 and 7:30 p.m.) and Saturday, Jan. 12 vs. Belhaven in Jackson, Mississippi (1 and 3 p.m.). UT Tyler returns home for a match against rival UT Dallas on Thursday, Jan. 17 (5:30 and 7:30 p.m.).

Howard Payne returns to action Saturday, Jan. 12 against Sul Ross State in Brownwood.

WOMEN

The Patriots (8-5) stayed unbeaten at home with the victory.

UT Tyler led throughout with the exception of a 2-2 score.

Carissa Spiker, a junior from Sanger, paced the Patriots with 27 points. She also had nine rebounds and four steals. Bianca Valderrama, a senior from Corpus Christi, added 16 points.

Tori Shoemaker (sophomore, Godley) was the third Patriot to record double-digit points as she added 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. Samantha Odom (senior, Allen) recorded eight rebounds.

Julissa Ibarra led the Yellow Jackets with 15 points and Caprica Brooks was next with 14.

It was the sixth straight loss for Howard Payne as the Yellow Jackets dropped to 4-11.

MEN

The Patriots (6-7) could not maintain their fast start and were outscored 15-3 in the extra period.

The Patriots opened the game with a 19-6 run that spanned the first five minutes of play.

UT Tyler led 72-70 when Darius Alford, on an assist from Xavier Fogle, hit a jumper with 1:24 on the clock in the second half.

Thomas Bingham scored a layup for the Yellowjackets with 1:02 showing to tie the contest at 72-72.

Both teams had chances to take the lead in the final minute, but neither could connect.

The Yellow Jackets scored the first 13 points in the OT. The Patriots’ Corbin Stephens, a junior from Austin, connected on a 3-pointer with 21 seconds showing for the only bucket of the extra period for UT Tyler.

Alford, a freshman from Houston, led the Patriots with 23 points, while fellow freshman Chris Craig (Denton) had a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds).

Shadd Cole led the Brownwood school with 26 points and 16 rebounds. Timothy Aguero and Luke Cox added 13 points apiece.

The Yellow Jackets (3-12) snapped a seven-game losing skid.