THE RUNDOWN
The Patriots opened up the New Year with a thrilling, come-from-behind victory over the Cameron University Aggies in a hard-fought, action-packed contest that saw both teams battling for control throughout the game. From the opening tip, DBU came out with intensity, quickly establishing a strong rhythm and building an early lead. However, the Aggies showed resilience, answering every DBU surge with their own runs, particularly in the first half, when they took a late lead into the final moments. Ricky Lujan led the way for the Patriots, finishing with a game-high 25 points, In a game that featured plenty of late-game drama, Jackson McCabe hit the game-winning shot with seconds remaining, securing a dramatic 78-77 win for the Patriots.
In the opening moments of the game, DBU wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Ricky Lujan knocking in the first points of the game, a layup set up by Cameron Kahn. The Patriots quickly established an early rhythm, jumping to a 7-2 lead after Lujan hit a three-pointer and Kahn converted a layup. The Aggies responded with free throws, trimming the lead to 7-5, but DBU maintained their control. Kahn answered back with a pair of free throws to push the lead to 12-6, and the Patriots' defense was aggressive early on, setting the tone for the first half. The Patriots extended their lead further thanks to a jaw-dropping alley-oop from Jackson McCabe, who was wide open for the slam. With a steal off a Cameron turnover, Xavion Brown then threw down his own dunk to give DBU a 19-8 advantage, building a double-digit lead.
However, the Aggies found their tempo and began to chip away at the lead, using an up-tempo style to close the gap. Despite DBU dominating in the paint with 20 points, Cameron's Reggie Prudhomme hit a three-pointer, pulling the Aggies within three, 23-20, with 9:30 left in the half. Lujan, who had been a key contributor, reached double digits with a layup to push the lead back to five. But the Aggies fought back, and with a series of successful plays, Cameron tied the game at 32-32 with just over three minutes left. The Patriots, struggling to break through the Aggies' full-court pressure, went scoreless for over three minutes. This drought allowed Cameron to surge ahead with an 11-point scoring run, taking their first lead of the game, 39-32, into the second half.
The second half began with a quick response from DBU as Cameron Kahn opened with a layup to trim the Patriots' deficit to seven. However, the Aggies responded by going on a run of their own, pushing their lead to 12 points, 46-34. Despite facing a larger gap, DBU didn't back down. Isaac Bullard and Ricky Lujan scored back-to-back layups, but as the first media timeout approached, the Patriots still found themselves trailing by 10, 48-38. The team continued to battle, and midway through the half, Jaden Shelvin came up huge with a steal and an and-one opportunity, which he converted with a dunk on the fast break, pulling DBU within seven points.
As the clock wound down, the Aggies held onto their lead, fluctuating between seven and nine points as both teams exchanged baskets. However, the Patriots caught fire with a crucial six-point run to bring the deficit down to five. Lujan then delivered a clutch layup to make it a two-point game with 1:40 remaining, setting up a thrilling finish. With 10 seconds left, Lujan was fouled and sent to the free-throw line with DBU trailing 77-75. Lujan made the first free throw, cutting the lead to one, but after a Cameron timeout, he missed the second, giving the Aggies one last chance. A foul on Xavion Brown gave Cameron an opportunity to seal the game at the line, but they missed the free throw. Brown grabbed the rebound and quickly lobbed the ball to Jaden Shelvin. As the clock ticked down, Jackson McCabe took the final shot, draining a last-second jumper to secure a dramatic 78-77 victory for the Patriots.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The Patriots went on a 9-point scoring run in the final two minutes of the game to secure the win.
- Xavion Brown, Issac Bullard, and Jackson McCabe led the Patriots with a team-high five rebounds.
- The bench made a significant impact, contributing 31 points to the team's effort.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
3- Four Patriots finished in double figures, including
Ricky Lujan (25), Issac Bullard (17) and
Jackson McCabe (10).
25- The Patriots forced 25 turnovers from the Aggies.
62- DBU produced 62 points in the paint compared to Cameron's 32.
76- Both teams had an equal possession rate, with each side controlling the ball 76% of the time.
DBU HEAD COACH BLAKE FLICKNER POST-GAME COMMENTS
"What an exciting game against a dangerous and well-coached team that is much better than their record shows. Tonight, they shot the ball lights out and had a great game plan. However, I'm proud of the grit and belief we showed to find a way on the road. The first game back from break can be an adventure and Cameron threw the punches in the first half (metaphorically). We kept our poise and continued to battle right to the very end. In the second half, we only had three turnovers and even though the shots weren't falling today, the guys adjusted and made winning plays. Ricky had some amazing finishes and AJ, Jaco, Deuce, and Bull all stepped up in a big way and provided exactly what the game called for. And at the final play, X got a rebound, Deuce Drew two and found Jacko for the game-winning finish at the buzzer."
UP NEXT
The Patriots wrap up their five-game road stretch on Sunday against Oklahoma Christian. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
