Box Score

THE LEAD
Leading by as many 18 points in the early part of the second half, the Dallas Baptist Men's Basketball Team held on for a 60-53 win over Oklahoma Christian in Oklahoma City on Saturday afternoon.  Ranked the No. 16 scoring offense in the nation heading into today's match-up, the Patriots used a staunch defensive effort that held OCU to just 33 percent shooting from the field in the seven point win.
 
DBU (10-5, 4-3) was once again led by redshirt-sophomore, Myles Johnson, who racked up a game-high 22 points.  Johnson's scoring output marks the twelfth time this year that last week's Heartland Conference Player of the Week has led the team in scoring.  On an afternoon in which both teams struggled to find their rhythm offensively, Johnson went 8-of-18 from the floor, including 4-of-10 from three-point range.

After opening up a 14 points lead at the half, DBU extended their advantage to 18 with 16:18 to go in the game.  The Patriots would only muster 10 points over the next nine plus minutes, as the Eagles (3-10, 1-6) cut the DBU lead to single digits, 47-38, with 7:10 remaining.  A three-pointer from OCU's Elijah Strickland drew the Eagles to within four, followed by two made free throws by Jordan Box with 2:47 left in the second half and the Patriots lead was down to two.
 
DBU's Amari Bryant responded with a shot from downtown that extended the lead back to five, as the Patriots never looked back, outscoring OCU 10-5 over the final two-and-a-half minutes. 

DBU HEAD COACH, BLAKE FLICKNER – ON THE TEAM'S DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE
"I'm really pleased with our defensive effort today, especially in the first half.  Guys did a good job of getting on the offensive glass as well."
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
24 - DBU held the Eagles to 24 percent shooting in the first half.
5 - The Patriots out-rebounded OCU by five boards, 44-39
33 - DBU shot 33 percent from three-point range, hitting 12-of-36 shots on the day.
39:02 - The Patriots led for 39:02 of the game, with OCU leading for just the game's first 58 seconds.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU heads to Wichita, Kansas, to take on the Newman Jets on Monday.  Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 pm.  Both teams are in the thick of the Heartland Conference race, as DBU enters Monday's affair 4-3 in league play, while Newman stands at 3-4.