Box Score

Just a couple days after defeating the Abilene Christian Wildcats (3-1) on opening night, the Dallas Baptist Patriots (1-3) drove to Abilene, Texas, to begin a three-game road trip and lost the rematch, 75-73. The final score does not, however, indicate the roller coaster the Tuesday night game presented to Head Coach Blake Flickner and his squad as they prepare to travel north to Colorado for a Friday-Saturday matchup to conclude Thanksgiving Week.

In the first half, it was a case of unlucky 13's for the Patriots as they jumped out to a 13-4 lead to open the game only to see ACU score the next 13 points of the night to take a 17-13 lead. The Wildcats, destined for NCAA Division I competition in 2013-2014, slowly increased that lead over the final ten minutes of the first half and took a 41-25 lead into the half.

That lead would increase to 22 points just minutes into the second half. The two teams shot nearly identical percentages in every aspect of the game - including 45% and 44% from the field with DBU holding the slight advantage - but it was the Wildcat ability to control the paint that allowed ACU to jump out to their large lead. For the game, the home team outscored their guests 24-12 from close range. DBU proved, however, to be the deeper team on the night with their bench outscoring the ACU bench, 31-9, and it was that depth that allowed them to mount a furious comeback in the final nine minutes.

With 9:20 left to play in the game, the score stood 63-47 ACU. After a Charles Allen three-pointer at the five minute mark, DBU had closed the gap to 70-64. Two Cory Carden free throws made it a one point game with 3:13 to go. From there, the teams traded points and Carden again made it a one point difference at 72-71 with 37 seconds left to play but the Patriots could not take advantage of the ACU misses from the free throw line or get the friendly bounce on the offensive side in the final seconds.

Carden paced the offense with 18 points by hitting on four three-pointers and all six of his free throw attempts. Allen and Jordan Kirschke chipped in 13 and 11 points, respectively. Nick Fox led the way on the glass for DBU with 11 rebounds, falling two points short of another double-double. As a team, the Patriots were perfect from the free throw line in fourteen attempts and forced 15 turnovers on the defensive side of the court.

From Abilene, the Patriots will travel to Colorado for games against Regis University and Colorado School of Mines on Friday and Saturday. Neither of these games will be broadcast on the Patriot Broadcasting Network but regular coverage will resume after the Thanksgiving Holiday.