THE RUNDOWN
The DBU Patriots wrapped up their road game schedule for the season with a hard-fought 87-81 victory over the UTPB Falcons. Three Patriots finished in double figures, with Ricky Lujan leading the way with 17 points, Trevor Frank contributing 14, and Junior Goodlet adding 12. Jackson McCabe grabbed a team-high five rebounds, while AJ Borden dished out a team-high four assists. Despite a tough challenge from the Falcons, DBU's balanced offense and key defensive plays helped secure the win and close out their final road game of the year on a high note.
The Patriots came out strong in the first half against the Falcons, with Ricky Lujan getting things started by converting a layup jumper off a steal by Cameron Kahn. This sparked a five-point run, capped by a three-pointer from Trevor Frank in the 17th minute. UTPB quickly responded, narrowing the deficit to just one point after capitalizing on a Patriots foul. What followed was a back-and-forth battle, with the Falcons repeatedly tying the game despite strong contributions from Issac Bullard and Junior Goodlet.
The Falcons briefly took a 13:26 lead, but Cody Stevens answered with a clutch three-pointer, assisted by AJ Borden, to put DBU back in front. UTPB would continue to tie the game, but the Patriots kept pushing back. A foul on DBU allowed the Falcons to gain a narrow 18-16 lead at the 9:28 mark. The court entered another back-and-forth affair as DBU tied it up multiple times, but couldn't quite find the go-ahead basket. It wasn't until Drew Calderon stepped up with two clutch free throws at the 2:00 mark that DBU finally took the lead. As the half progressed, DBU found their rhythm, building a game-high lead (at the time) of eight points. A three-pointer from Frank and layups from Lujan helped DBU close out the first half strong, with the Patriots leading 44-37 at the break.
The Falcons opened the second half with back-to-back layups, cutting DBU's lead to just three in the opening two minutes. However, Frank responded with a huge four-point play, converting an and-one on a three-pointer, to extend the Patriots' lead to 54-51. The pace slowed down as both teams struggled to score in the paint, but Xavion Brown gave DBU a spark with a powerful dunk at the 12:37 mark.
As UTPB continued to search for an opportunity to take the lead, Lujan stepped up with a steal, leading to an easy layup that helped keep the Falcons at bay. The Patriots slowly extended their lead to as much as nine points, 67-58, with solid contributions from Jackson McCabe, Jaden Shelvin, Kahn, Lujan, and Borden. Though UTPB fought back, trimming the lead to just three, Goodlet came up with a pivotal dunk to push DBU's advantage back to eight points.
The Falcons applied heavy defensive pressure, but the Patriots held strong. A key basket from Calderon extended the lead to 81-73, and DBU kept their composure down the stretch. Lujan sealed the win with a free throw, helping the Patriots close out their road game schedule with an 87-81 victory.
FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Tonight's win brings DBU's total to 26, tying the record for the most wins in a season in program history.
- Jackson McCabe grabbed a team-high five rebounds, while AJ Borden dished out a team-high four assists.Â
- The bench made a significant impact, contributing 46 points to the team's effort.
- Tonight's matchup was a back-and-forth battle with nine ties and four lead changes.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
3- Three Patriots were in double figures including
Ricky Lujan (17),
Trevor Frank (14), and
Junior Goodlet (12).Â
7- The Patriots forced 22 turnovers from the Falcons while committing only seven themselves.Â
17.6- The Patriots' free throw percentage saw a 17.6-point difference between the first and second half (53.8% to 71.4%).
50- DBU produced 50 points in the paint compared to UTPB's 38.
DBU HEAD COACH BLAKE FLICKNER POST-GAME COMMENTS
"Big-time road win to bounce back in an incredible environment. UTPB played great. They were tough and made it a physical game, but our guys really responded to it well. We matched their toughness and kept our poise throughout the game. The difference really was our depth today. 46 bench points is amazing! It was a true DBU identity game. I'm proud of the resilience we showed on the road, and the way we came together as a team to secure the win."
UP NEXT
DBU returns home for its last home game of the year. The Patriots will host UT Tyler on Senior Night on Thursday, February 27, at The Burg Center. Tip-off is scheduled at 7:00 p.m.
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