THE LEAD
The Dallas Baptist University Men's Basketball team defeated UT-Permian Basin 97-93 on Monday night at the Burg Center to improve to 17-5 overall and 11-3 in Heartland Conference play. Joey Miller led the Patriots with 26 points on five-of-seven shooting from three-point range and a perfect nine-for-nine from the free throw line. Patrick Burke joined Miller in double digits with 19 points on six-of-six shooting from the charity stripe. Amari Bryant recorded 14 points and shot four-for-seven from beyond the arc. DBU racked up a season-high 25 assists in the win. 

After falling behind 7-4 in the early minutes of the game, DBU went on a 19-3 run, sparked by a four-point play by Joey Miller. Over the next five minutes, the Falcons closed the lead to 32-29 before Miller drew another foul on a made three-pointer. Miller earned two shots on the foul, sinking both to extend the lead to 37-29. DBU and UTPB battled back and forth through end of the first half, and the Patriots took a 51-44 lead into halftime.

The Patriots rode an 8-0 run early in the second half to take a 62-46 lead with 17 minutes remaining in the game. UTPB continued to make it a game of runs with a 10-0 run following the first timeout of the second half that pulled the Falcons within two points. DBU maintained the slim lead until the 7:05 mark, when UTPB took a 79-78 lead, its first lead since two minutes into the game. The lead changed four times over the next minute and a half before the Patriots took the lead for good at 84-83. Ahead 93-91, Burke made a crucial rebound and drew a foul, leading to two made free throws that put the game out of hand for UTPB.

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 - DBU entered the game with the conference's No. 1 three-point defense (30.5 percent) and held UTPB to two-of-10 shooting from long-range in the first half.
 - UTPB (87.4) and DBU (87.2) ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the conference in points per game entering Monday night. 
 - Shannon Lilly, who ranks No. 5 in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.5), registered a 4.5 ratio Monday.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
9 - Shannon Lilly posted a season-high nine assists.
11 - The Patriots won their 11th conference game, tied for the highest in program history.
3 - Three DBU players shot perfectly from the charity stripe, combining for 17-for-17. 

UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU hits the road for Wichita, Kansas, to take on Newman on Saturday, February 13, at 3:00 p.m.