CANYON, Texas – The national stage was set for the most thrilling chiseling of Texas A&M International's paramount game in program history. The No.6-seeded Dustdevils (19-9) entered their first ever NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament against No. 3 Tarleton State in a quarterfinal showdown, eventually falling, 70-55, on the campus of West Texas A&M. It was a one-point game at halftime and the Dustdevils hung within eight points with 45 seconds left.

The 2013-14 chapter of Dustdevils history was undoubtedly the most historic and highly acclaimed in program history. Coach Michelle Bento-Jackson was named Heartland Conference Coach of the Year in just her second year, authoring the program's first conference regular-season crown, conference tournament berth and the hosting of the tournament as the No. 1 seed, and a first-ever NCAA tournament at-large bid. A pair of Dustdevil seniors – Malika Jackson and Samantha Chacon – earned All-Heartland Conference and All-South Central Region honors prior to Friday's game  

Tarleton entered the contest with the region's Player of the Year, Kiara Wright – who was the epicenter of the Dustdevils' gameplan. TAMIU muzzled the 20-point average center, allowing her just four shots from the field (3-for-4) and just 10 points.  But TSU's Brianna Bledsoe and Meagan O'Dell combined to score 31 of the team's points in Wright's stead.

"Our defensive effort in the game was very efficient," Bento-Jackson said. "One thing I will say, I don't think our offense was ever really able to get into a consistant rhythm. Obviously, that created some of the problems we had. All in all, I am very proud of this team and these players; all credit goes to them for the progress that this program has made these two years."

The Dustdevils kept pace with the Lone Star Conference's second place finishing TSU, thanks mostly to Tina Dang's 20 points (8-for-12 from the field) off four 3-pointers. Dang scored 12 in the first half, playing just 29 minutes off the bench. Jackson finished with 15 points and seven rebounds while Chacon finished with seven points. Jackson, Dang and Chacon played in their final game, leaving the Dustdevils as seniors.

Jessica Prieto, a sophomore transfer from NCAA Division I Mercer, scored 10 points with three rebounds, but fouled out with just 30 minutes played. Heartland Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Alexis Thomas, scored two points in 33 minutes and Samone Davis had one point – off a free throw – in just four minutes of play.

The Dustdevils shot 30.6 percent from the field and 30.8 from long range, standing opposite to TSU's 44.6 and 50 percent, respectively. TSU outshot TAMIU 87.5-61.9 percent from the free throw line.

The Dustdevils bench outscored TSU's 21-11 and scored twice as many second-chance points (12-6), but TSU bullied the Dustdevils in the paint with a 30-22 scoring margin. Most impactful of all, the TexAnns scored 19 points off TAMIU turnovers, 14 of which came in theTexAnns' 42-point second half.

The Dustdevils finished the season with new program watermarks in wins and conference wins despite failing to win a postseason game.