The Prairie View A&M University women's basketball team lost to Texas Southern 70-62 Saturday in the William J. Nicks Babydome.
 
Alexus Parker scored a team-high 22 points to lead the Lady Panthers (5-10 overall, 0-3), and Tori Carter added 14 points and five assists as PVAMU fell in its home Southwestern Athletic Conference opener.
 
"We didn't take care of the basketball," said PVAMU head coach Ravon Justice. "That's something we've done a better job of in the past. We didn't take care of the basketball in the big moments, and it cost us."
 
There were 13 lead changes and five ties between the two rivals, as neither team lead in double figures at any point in the game. Prairie View A&M led nearly the entire first half. Parker had the hot hand for the Lady Panthers, scoring 13 points on five-of-eight shooting, including a pair of threes, as PVAMU lead 35-30 at halftime. As a team, the Panthers shot 52 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes.
 
The contest intensified in the second half, as an early run by Texas Southern (9-5, 3-0) gave them a six-point advantage midway through the third period. However, Prairie View A&M responded with a 9-2 run over the final two+ minutes to take a 49-48 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
In the final period alone, there were six ties and four lead changes. La'Sha Haynes, who scored nine points and had nine rebounds, made a pair of free throws to give the Lady Panthers their final lead of the game, 57-55, with 3:35 remaining. However, Texas Southern made a game-ending run for the final margin.
 
Prairie View A&M returns to action next Saturday at home against Jackson State at 3 p.m. in the William J. Nicks Building.
 

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