MEDIA COVERAGE
Live Video/Audio: Patriot Broadcasting Network  
Live Stats: DBU Livestats

OPENING TIP – The Dallas Baptist Men's Basketball Team is back on the hardwood searching to snap a five-game slide against Newman University on Thursday. Tip-off is slated for 7 PM at the Burg Center and is the second match-up of a five-game home stretch for DBU (4-8, 1-4). The Patriots have also dropped the past four Heartland Conference contests.  

LAST TIME ON THE COURT – On Saturday, DBU fell short by four points to Oklahoma Christian, 69-65, at the Burg Center.  Both teams were evenly matched, as there were seven ties and 16 lead changes in the afternoon affair.
 
Trailing 34-33 at halftime, the Patriot's leading scorer, Jonathan Perry, scored a layup in the first possession to give the home team their first advantage since midway through the first half.  DBU would not be able to extend their lead and OC would eventually reclaim the lead, one they would not relinquish the rest of the way.
 
The Eagles' largest lead would be six points with 1:19 remaining in the game, but senior, Remy Ndiaye, hit both free throws and a layup by sophomore, Jason Gentry, cut the deficit to 65-63. The Patriots would narrow the gap 66-65 with 11 seconds left and were forced to foul. OC knocked both free throws down and Perry's game-tying attempt came up short from behind the arc. The Eagles iced the game in the final two seconds hitting one of two free throws to conclude the scoring.
 
Perry boasted a team-high 16 points, including a seven-for-eight effort from the charity stripe. The redshirt sophomore has now surpassed the 500-point marker in his career and notched double figures in the scoring column in 10 games on the campaign.
 
A trio of DBU players notched double-digit performances in the setback. Behind Perry was redshirt freshman, Myles Johnson, with 14. Junior, Wesley Gipson, contributed 11 off the bench for the Patriots.
  
PLAYERS TO WATCH – Redshirt sophomore, Jonathan Perry has risen up as the leading scorer for the Men's Basketball Team. Through 12 games, the native of Kerrville, Texas has averaged 18.4 points per game (ppg).
 
His personal best came at home against Southeastern Oklahoma State, when the starting forward posted a school record 47 points leading DBU to an 89-80 victory. Perry has boasted double-digit scoring affairs in nine of the team's 11 contests this year. He has broken the 20-point mark in three, including his historical night in program history.
 
Johnson has quietly been a steady contributor ranking third on the squad with 11.2 ppg. The Arlington, Texas, native in his first year playing claimed a season-high 21 points versus Rogers State two weekends ago. Through 12 games, the forward has posted double-digits in scoring in six of them. Johnson's personal best surpasses his previous high earned when he poured in 17 at homecoming versus Mid-America Christian. He sits second on the squad hitting 20 shots from three-point land just a pair behind the team leader, sophomore, Charles Allen.
 
Gipson is another solid scorer that has been a force off the bench this year for Dallas Baptist. The junior is averaging 8.0 ppg, but has only started one contest all season. His season-high 19 points occurred in the team's last victory coming in a 61-59 thriller over Lubbock Christian. The native of Fort Worth, Texas has broken double-digits in scoring in four games this season.  

SCOUTING NEWMAN – The Jets (4-10, 1-5) have dropped their previous two contests and are still searching for the first victory on the road. So far the squad was 0-7 away from the friendly confines entering Thursday's night match-up. In the last game, Newman could not overcome a late deficit and fell 83-78 to UA Fort Smith.
 
NU would gain a brief 74-73 lead with 3:43 remaining after Marquis Cuyler hit a pair of free throws. A little under a minute later the Jets would exchange the lead again and take it back on a layup by Elhad Emerllahu at the 2:54 mark. That was the last time Newman held an edge on the scoreboard, as UAFS took advantage at the free throw line to help outscore its opponent 8-2 the rest of the way. The Jets did knot the game on a pair of free throws with 1:03 remaining but would be held scoreless through the end of regulation.
 
As a team, Newman is averaging 77.2 points a game while allowing opponents to score at an 82.5 rate. A trio of players pace the Jet's offense with double figures in the scoring column on the campaign. Leading the way is Cuyler at a 13.7 clip. Jeremy Espinoza and Emerllahu aren't far behind contributing 12.7 and 12.3 ppg, respectively.
 
Last season, the Jets won both contests against DBU, with the Patriots comeback effort at the Burg Center falling just short. Down by as many as 18 in the first half, DBU managed to go into the break trailing 40-30. That margin would close to a one-point difference about halfway in the second stanza, but Newman would answer and push the lead to nine with under eight minutes. Allen and Gipson notched double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.  

HEARTLAND NUMBERS – DBU has gone 1-4 thus far in conference action, falling in the past four affairs. The Patriots claimed the Heartland Opener over Lubbock Christian 61-59.
 
The Men's Basketball Team is ranked fourth in the Heartland averaging 7.5 steals per game. This aids DBU's plus 2.75 turnover margin which places the squad third in the league. Dallas Baptist has forced 15.8 while committing turnovers at a 13.1 clip.
 
Leading the Patriots in steals is Gentry with 21, which places him in a tie for fourth in the league. He also is tied for second in swipes per game with 1.8. 

Both squads enter the night sitting in the top five in free throw percentage. Newman is shooting just over 71-percent, which slates them in fourth just above the Patriots who trail slightly.
 
The Jets have fallen below early expectations so far after being picked to finish third in the Heartland Conference. Each program has only a lone conference victory and will be searching to get back on track Thursday night.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE – Dallas Baptist continues its lengthy home stand Saturday for a 2 PM match-up with Oklahoma Panhandle. Next week the Patriots will wrap-up their season-long home stretch with a 7 PM game with St. Mary's on Jan. 23 and 2 PM tip versus Texas A&M International on Jan. 25. Fans can view the Patriot Broadcast Network for all games, with pregame beginning 15 minutes prior to first tip.