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

OPENING TIP – The Dallas Baptist Men's Basketball Team has won back-to-back games for the first time since its season-high, three-game winning streak in November. Perhaps the team's biggest win of the season occurred Thursday night, as DBU (6-9, 3-5) shocked one of the top teams in the Heartland Conference, St. Mary's, in a 73-69 nail-biter that came down to the final minute.
 
The Rattlers entered the night in a tie for second place in the conference standings, but also were the only team to defeat an unbeaten Texas A&M International squad that is now 8-1 in the Heartland, still sitting first in the standings.
 
The Patriots hope to carry this recent surge of winning play into Saturday as they meet another difficult opponent in the Burg Center. Scheduled tip-off with TAMIU is slated for 2 PM.

LAST TIME ON THE HARDWOOD – Redshirt freshman, Myles Johnson, broke double figures for the fourth-straight game pouring in 16 points, including a clutch three-pointer that lifted the Patriots to a controlling 71-67 advantage with under 11 seconds left.
 
With a two possession lead, St. Mary's responded with a quick layup, but was forced to foul after not coming up with a DBU turnover. Redshirt sophomore, Jonathan Perry, sealed the victory and DBU's biggest win of the campaign away with two free throws. The Kerrville, Texas, native finished with 14 points and continues to lead the team with 270 points. He has broken double-digits in scoring the past five games, which is one shy of when the forward notched the feat opening the year.
 
Junior, Chris Strong, had a phenomenal night for the Patriots totaling a career-high 11 points, while also giving the undersized squad a much-needed inside presence most of the evening. Matching the forward in scoring was sophomore, Jason Gentry, who broke double figures the last two contests and added to his assist count with a team-high four.
 
For the first time on the campaign, DBU placed five players in double-digits on the stats sheet in the scoring column. The final player reaching that category was senior, Remy Ndiaye, who fought two post-play baskets in the paint to help keep the Patriots in front before Johnson delivered the trifecta.  
 
STARTING FIVE – On the heels of a season-long, six-game losing streak, Dallas Baptist made some switches to the starting lineup last Saturday that resulted in a win over Oklahoma Panhandle State.
 
Head Coach, Blake Flickner, has used eight different lineup combinations to begin the game, and left the same one last night that was used in the streak stopper. The Patriots have won its past two contests and seen excellent results since the switch was made.
 
The changes have been subtle, as Gentry has been a consistent name starting every game for DBU. Some of the more notable ones are Strong and freshman, Jordan Pratt, getting into the starting five more, while senior, Cory Carden, started for the first time since the opening games on the campaign.
 
One area receiving a boost from the adjustments is the bench, as the Patriots have now posted 24 and 28 points from that area in both the last pair of victories, respectively.

SCOUTING TAMIU – The Dustdevils enter Saturday with a 14-4 record overall and sit atop the Heartland Conference with a 7-1 record. Texas A&M International's lone loss in the Heartland came in a triple overtime contest versus St. Mary's University, who the Patriots knocked off on Thursday.
 
TAMIU got back on track the other night with an 80-65 victory over Oklahoma Christian. The Dustdevils have played eight games away from the home confines going 5-3, but that includes a 2-3 record at neutral site locations.
 
As a team, the Dustdevils are averaging 84.4 points per game while allowing 70.6, and are shooting 54-percent from the field. They rank second in the Heartland in offense, but are just as tough defensively being placed in the top three at third.
 
This squad is accurate from three-point land, boasting the best three-point percentage in the league with a 44-percent clip from downtown. TAMIU also is first in defense for limiting opponents from draining shots from long-range as it also claims the top spot in that category too.
 
Johnel Grey paces the Dustdevils with 14.7 points per game (ppg). A trio of players are right behind him just above the double-digit mark led by Jordan Clark at 11.7. Vadel Faniel and Matthew Culliver Jr. complete the whole quartet in double figures with 10.6 and 10.2 ppg, respectively.
 
SERIES HISTORY - Last season DBU fell in both games to the Dustdevils. At the Burg Center, The Patriots erased a nine-point deficit and took a brief lead in the second half with under three minutes to play. The Dustdevils closed the contest on a 12-0 run and topped the home squad 71-61. Perry is the lone returner from that match-up that reached double figures with 13 points. Gentry posted a career-high at the time nine points.
 
The Patriots have dropped their last five to TAMIU. In four of the contests on the hardwood, DBU has fallen by five points or less in four of them. DBU's last win over the Heartland foe was at the Burg Center, 76-69, in the 2010-11 campaign. Overall, the Patriots lead the  series 8-7 dating back to 2006.

COACHES VS. CANCER SUITS AND SNEAKERS WEEKEND - During Saturday's afternoon affair both of the program's coaches will be wearing sneakers with their suits to raise awareness for Cancer research.

This annual event will be taking place January 24-26, as coaches across America will be wearing sneakers this year to show their support for Coaches vs. Cancer – a joint effort of the American Cancer Society and National Association of Basketball Coaches that empowers basketball coaches to help make a difference in the fight against cancer.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE – Dallas Baptist embarks on its longest four-game road trip of the campaign next. The journey begins Jan. 30 at St. Edward's University. Tip-off is slated for 7 PM. Following that, action continues on Feb. 1 at McMurry for a 2 PM start time.
 
The Patriots continue the road slate for conference match-ups on Feb. 6 and Feb. 8 versus Lubbock Christian and Texas-Permian Basin, respectively.