THE RUNDOWN
In need of a win to legitimately stay in LSC Tournament contention, the Patriots of DBU (16-13, 11-10 LSC) pulled off an important victory against the UT Tyler Patriots (9-16, 5-16 LSC) on Senior Night. Ricky Lujan had a season-high 26 points.
 
DBU wasted no time to jump to a considerable lead in the early going. The 15-5 advantage to start the game slowly faded until UT Tyler guard Terrell Wilson knocked in a three to go ahead, 30-28. 
 
Ta'Jay Dunlap made two free throws on the next possession for DBU to even the score, but UT Tyler took 7 of the last 10 points of the half.
 
Cameron Kahn and Lujan were sensation in the first 20 minutes, with a combined 25 points and a trio of 3-pointers apiece. 
 
Despite DBU shrinking the margin to one within the first three minutes of the second half, UT Tyler stayed on the positive side of the difference.
 
Trailing, 53-45, Kahn converted a layup that sparked a 20-2 stretch over the next 6:25 for DBU that would put the game out of reach for UT Tyler.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Because of a St. Mary's loss to St. Edward's, DBU needs a win to clinch a berth in the LSC Tournament in Frisco. The Patriots could also make the tournament with a loss matched by a Texas A&M International loss.
- DBU committed only nine turnovers. It's the 3rd time in the last 4 games the Patriots have given away the ball fewer than 10 times.
- Jalen White snagged 10 rebounds on Thursday night, his most boards since December 3 versus Cameron.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
48 - DBU shot 48% from the three-point line, the 2nd highest rate UT Tyler has given up all season.
64 - Ricky Lujan, Cameron Kahn, and Ta'Jay Dunlap combined for 64 points.
1,000 - With a three from the top of the key midway through the first half, Lujan scored the 1,000th point of his collegiate career.
 
BLAKE FLICKNER ON WHAT CHANGED THE COMPLEXION OF THE GAME
"We created some turnovers, and that really started with Jalen White. He got deflections. He got our first two turnovers. Other guys started to feed off of that. Ta'Jay [Dunlap] started getting involved in the mix, but the first half we had only created two turnovers. [UT Tyler] had not turned the ball over at all, and that was rally the spark that changed the game in the second half."
 
UP NEXT
DBU and UT Tyler will trade hosting duties for both teams' final regular season games of 2022-23. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 pm at the Louise Herrington Patriot Center on the campus of UT Tyler.
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