Box Score

NEWARK, New Jersey – Harlingen-native and junior guard Bianca Torre scored a game-high 20 points, but the University of Texas-Pan American Broncs women's basketball team fell to the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders 61-52 on Thursday at the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
 
Torre hit a three-pointer, a free throw and then another three in the first 1:19 as the Broncs (9-15, 2-4 Great West Conference) jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
 
Torre upped her career total to 1,188 points, passing Naima Williams (1,173, 1999-2003) for second place in program history. Alex Gravel (1998-2003) is the Broncs' all-time leading scorer with 1,227 points.
 
The Highlanders (10-15, 4-4 GWC) responded with an 18-2 run, capped by back-to-back three-pointers from Sarah Olson to go ahead 19-8 with 11:45 to play in the first half.
 
Trailing 23-14 after another Olson three-pointer, Keandra Goodson hit a pair of free throws and Donna Jackson sunk two lay-ups to bring the Broncs within 23-20, but the Highlanders closed the half on a 9-3 run over the final 4:28 to take a 32-23 lead.
 
The Broncs pulled within 37-33 on a Goodson lay-up with 15:12 remaining in the second half, but that's as close they got.
 
The Highlanders were led in scoring by Kimberly Dweck, who scored 12 points. She was joined in double-figures by Olson and Rayven Johnson, who scored 11 points each.
 
The Broncs conclude their regular season road schedule on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. when they visit Chicago State University.
 
The University of Texas-Pan American Department of Intercollegiate Athletics competes at the NCAA Division I classification. UTPA, formerly known as Pan American College and Pan American University, is a part of the University of Texas System of Schools. The Broncs compete in 14 varsity sports; men's and women's basketball, golf, tennis, track and field, and cross country, along with women's volleyball and men's baseball. In 1963, then known as Pan American College, the Broncs men's basketball program won the NAIA National Championship with a 73-62 victory over Western Carolina. In 2008 UTPA joined the new all-sports division of the Great West Conference.