THE RUNDOWN
The Dallas Baptist University Patriots capped off 2024 in impressive fashion, securing a dominant 98-69 victory over the Sul Ross State Lobos. Jackson McCabe led the way with a stellar 21-point performance, helping DBU maintain control throughout the game. The Patriots came out strong early and never looked back. They controlled the tempo from start to finish, both offensively and defensively, as they wrapped up the year with a commanding road win.
The Dallas Baptist University Patriots came out firing on all cylinders in their home matchup against the Sul Ross State Lobos, opening the game with a quick three-point jumper from Jaden Shelvin. This set the tone for an early 9-0 run that forced the Lobos into a timeout just two minutes into the contest. Sul Ross State got on the scoreboard with a free throw, but the Patriots quickly responded, as Daniel Figueira knocked down a three-pointer to push the lead to 12-1 with 16:58 left in the half.
DBU continued to control the tempo, smothering the Lobos' offense and forcing a scoring drought that lasted over four minutes. Sul Ross finally broke the silence with a free throw following a foul on Trevor Frank, but the Patriots' defensive intensity and offensive execution had them firmly in control. Jackson McCabe contributed two consecutive baskets, extending DBU's lead to 23-4 by the midway point of the half.
Sul Ross State eventually found their rhythm, capitalizing on some DBU foul trouble to string together a 12-2 run, cutting the deficit to 25-15 with 8:53 left. However, DBU quickly regained control with baskets from Cameron Kahn and Ricky Lujan, and AJ Borden added a clutch and-one, making his first points of the night and giving DBU a commanding 33-15 lead. In the final minutes, both teams exchanged points, with Sul Ross going on a brief 6-0 run. But Kahn answered with a fast-break layup, reaching double figures with 10 points. The Patriots maintained their offensive pressure and went into halftime with a commanding 49-31 lead.
The second half of the game saw the Patriots pick up right where they left off in the second half, with Ricky Lujan opening the scoring with a layup to push the lead to 20. Xavion Brown followed with another layup, extending the lead to 53-31. Jackson McCabe then reached double digits with a dunk off a Lobos turnover, bringing the lead back to its largest margin at 24 points. Sul Ross State mounted a response with Ethan Yancy leading a 9-0 run, cutting DBU's lead. The Patriots, however, regained their composure and answered with an 8-0 run of their own, forcing Sul Ross to call a 30-second timeout. With the Patriots' defense tightening, they held the Lobos without a field goal for over three minutes, and a subsequent 11-0 run pushed the lead to 33, 93-60, with 4:28 remaining. Despite some late fouls giving Sul Ross points, the Patriots closed out the game with a 98-69 victory, dominating both offensively and defensively throughout the second half.
FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Jackson McCabe's 21 points are the most by a true freshman since Cameron Kahn put up 27 on February 27, 2021, against Western New Mexico.
- Ricky Lujan moved into fifth all-time in program history in points to pass Jordan McGowen with 1,743 after tonight's performance.
- AJ Borden and Xavion Brown led the Patriots with a team-high seven rebounds.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
4- Four Patriots finished in double figures, including
Jackson McCabe (21),
Cameron Kahn (16),
Ricky Lujan (14) and
Xavion Brown (10).
62- DBU produced 62 points in the paint compared to SRSU's 32.
75- DBU was 75% from the charity stripe in the second half.
DBU HEAD COACH BLAKE FLICKNER POST-GAME COMMENTS
"It was a really good all-around game today. Jacko [Jackson McCabe] had a great day today and multiple guys were able to make contributions. We are excited to head into the break and are going to try and get healthy going into the heart of Lone Star Conference play. Merry Christmas to all!"
UP NEXT
DBU wraps up its five-game road stretch with games versus Cameron on January 3 and Oklahoma Christian on January 5.
