AUSTIN, Texas – Natalie Velardez scored a team-high 14 points, Havyn Perez added 13 points, but the Concordia Texas women's basketball team fell short to No. 22 East Texas Baptist 65-54 on Thursday.

The Tornados returned to Concordia Fieldhouse after a four-game road trip, beginning their final homestand of the season against nationally-ranked Tigers.

Concordia Texas was stifling defensively in the first half, holding ETBU to under 20% shooting from the floor and forced 13 turnovers.

Meanwhile, Havyn Perez was productive on both ends of the floor, scoring nine of her 13 points and picking up three of her six total steals in the half alone. Perez hit a pair of free throws right before halftime and the Tornados took a 21-20 advantage into the locker room.

In the third quarter, CTX went back and forth against the Tigers, amounting to five lead changes in the period. East Texas Baptist took their largest lead of the game at the end of the third, ending the quarter on an 8-3 run and led 43-35.

The Tornados trailed by as much as 10 points in the final quarter, but chipped away and utilized a 10-2 to cut the deficit down to 49-47 after Mikayla Johnson's 3-pointer at the 5:51 mark.

It was as close as CTX would cut it to though, as the Tigers pulled away once again in the closing minutes of the quarter and the Tornados fell 65-54.

Velardez finished a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line and pulled down a team-high five rebounds. Off the bench, Erin Toro went 4-of-9 from the floor, finishing the game with nine points, while Johnson knocked down a pair 3-pointers and had six points.

Despite the loss, CTX qualifies for the American Southwest Conference Tournament and will have seeding implications on the line when they host Belhaven on Saturday in their regular season finale. With a win, the Tornados will lock up the seventh seed for the conference tournament.

Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. against the Blazers inside Concordia Fieldhouse with senior day ceremonies taking place after the game.