Entering the tournament with two straight losses, UT Permian Basin had a slow start Friday before the defending champions of the Lone Star Conference Men’s Basketball Championship clicked into high gear.

      Thanks to a 24-4 run midway through the second half, the second-seeded Falcons turned a six-point deficit into a comfortable lead and were able to get past a gritty MSU squad, the No. 7 seed at Kitty Magee Arena in Denton.

      Trailing 48-42 with 15:28 left, UTPB (23-5) turned things around thanks to a pair of dunks by two-time All-LSC Player of the Year Daeshon Francis and then two straight 3-pointers from James McPherson, who had struggled beyond the arc before drilling consecutive shots.

      The Falcons kept pouring it on, led by Francis, who finished with a game-high 26 points, to go along with 15 rebounds. McPherson ended up with four 3-pointers for 14 points. Sammy Allen, plagued by fouls most the game, had eight points, seven rebounds and four assists in just 18 minutes. Andres Villa and Zeldric King both came off the bench to score nine points each, mostly from the paint.

      The Falcons were able to win the rebounding edge 46-35 and outscored the Mustangs in the paint, 46-26, as the Mustangs entered the game rather undersized.

      The season ends for MSU at 11-18. Senior guard Devante Pullum had 21 points and five assists. Trey Kennedy joined him in double figures with 12 points. All-LSC second-team standout Brandon Neel struggled from the floor, shooting just 2 of 14 for seven points.

      The Falcons not only advance to Saturday’s semifinal game back in Frisco, but continue their quest to defend the tournament crown. Also, UTPB has a shot to move up to No. 1 in the regional rankings and potentially host the tournament in Odessa.