#8 DBU (22-3, 16-3) vs. UT Permian Basin (16-10, 11-9) 
February 24 | 2:00 p.m. | Dallas, TX| Burg Center

MULTI-MEDIA COVERAGE
Video: LSC Digital Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @DBUBasketball
Facebook: DBU Athletics


COUNTDOWN TO TIP-OFF
Ricky Lujan logged his 20th straight double-figures game in an 85-73 victory over Angelo State Thursday evening at the Burg Center. Tonight's performance pushes DBU to 16-3 in LSC play. 

Ricky Lujan connected on DBU's first basket of the evening, followed by an ASU 3- 3-pointer. Another layup and free throw by Lujan, combined with a layup by Justin Haire, set the score 7-3 at the first media timeout of the game. The Patriots maintained an edge through the next stretch of action as they went on a 9-0 surge, creating an 18-7 lead with just under 13 minutes remaining in the first half.

A quick 6-0 scoring burst by the Rams trimmed the Patriot's margin to four until a Ta'Jay Dunlap three extended their lead to 21-14 with 9:54 remaining. Trevor Frank followed up with back-to-back three-pointers, pushing DBU's lead to double-digits for the second time. Taking advantage of Patriots fouls, the Rams trimmed the deficit to one, 27-26, with under five minutes left in the half. 

The Patriots remained in the lead at halftime, 41-26, after Frank became the first DBU player in double figures with a three-pointer to give the Patriots their largest lead of 13 at the time until a couple of Haire free throws extended the margin to 15. 

Dominating inside the paint, the Patriots opened a 10-0 run aided by Lujan's own six points, extending his streak of scoring double figures and pushing the lead margin to 23, 51-28. The three-point barrage continued with Frank draining his fourth and Cody Stevens putting up his first to push DBU's lead to 23 twice. Taking advantage of the Patriots' foul trouble, the Rams used an eight-point run to trim the deficit to 17 with under 10 minutes left in the game. 

Finding their momentum after the media timeout, ASU cut the margin to a single-digit game with 5:07 left. Jaden Shelvin put the Rams on ice, reaching double figures with back-to-back layups, expanding the Patriots' lead to 14. The back-and-forth affair continued with both teams trading buckets. A Cameron Kahn layup with less than a minute left put the finishing touches on the Patriot's 85-73 victory. 

On Saturday, the Patriots will remain home to face UT Permian Basin on Senior Night. 

PATRIOT STORYLINES 
- DBU is ranked as high as No. 8 in the NABC Coaches Poll and is ranked in all three national polls. This ranking is the highest the Patriots have received in program history. 
- DBU ranks first in the LSC and ninth in the nation in steals, averaging 10.9 per game. The Patriots lead the conference and rank sixth in the nation for scoring offenses (92.8).  
- Defensively, DBU ranks first in the LSC and fifth in the nation in turnovers forced per game (21.13).
- Cameron Kahn leads the conference in points (334) and field goals (132). Khan was recently named on Bevo Francis's Top 50 Watch List. 
- Ricky Lujan ranks second in the conference in steals (30) and third for his assist/turnover ratio (2.60).
- Ta'Jay Dunlap also ranks second in the conference in steals (30).

SCOUTING UT PERMIAN BASIN
- UT Permian Basin defeated UT Tyler 75-52 in their 11th conference win. 
- The Falcons lead the conference in free throws made per game (17.5).
- UT Permian Basin ranks second in the conference for rebound margin (4.1) and third in scoring defense (68.5). 
- Lathaniel Bastian leads the conference and ranks third in the nation in double-doubles (14) and rebounds (275). Bastian averages 10.6 rebounds per game and leads the Falcons in blocks (37).
- DJ Armstrong ranks third in the conference in total 3-point FGM (72). Armstrong leads the Falcons in steals (33), along with Maison Adeleye. 
- Alex Matthews leads UT Permian Basin in points (343), and Keyon Craddock in assists (82). 


SERIES HISTORY
The Patriots lead the all-time series 17-13. DBU defeated UT Permian Basin 63-58 in their last matchup on February 18, 2023. This will be their 30th match-up since the Falcons defeated the Patriots 76-63 on January 22, 2007. 


UP NEXT
The Patriots will travel to Tyler, TX, to face UT Tyler on February 29. The tip-off is scheduled for 7:30.