TYLER – The UT Tyler Patriots held the Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team to nine points over the final 11 and a half minutes on Thursday night to win 70-67 at the Louise Herrington Center. The Lions' chance to tie the game in the final seconds bounced off the rim.
 
Up three with under a minute to go, the Patriots fouled Carson Tuttle (Mukilteo, Wash.) and he knocked down both free throws. The Lions forced a miss on the other end and had a chance to take the lead but a dunk attempt from Clashon Gaffney (Clarksville) fell just short.
 
The Patriots made both their free throws to take a 70-67 lead with eight seconds left. Jairus Roberson (DeSoto) had a clean look to tie the game, but his shot bounced off the rim.
 
The Lions fall to 16-5 on the season, snapping a four-game winning streak, while the Patriots improve to 14-6 overall and pick up their first ever win over the Lions. Thursday's game does not affect the Lone Star Conference standings.
 
The Lions were held without a point for the first three minutes and fell behind 7-2 to start the game. Down 9-4 at the 15:35 mark, the Lions went on a 9-0 run, highlighted by a three pointer from Roberson to take a 13-9 lead at the 12:47 mark. The Lions did not trail again in the game until the 6:57 mark of the second half.
 
Both teams made seven three pointers each in the first half. UT Tyler shot 7 for 14 from distance. The Patriots, on a mini 5-0 run, tied it at 23, but the Lions answered with a 10-0 run to take their largest lead of the game. A&M-Commerce missed just two shots during that three-minute stretch.
 
The three-point efficiency from the Patriots allowed them to pull to within three of the Lions twice during the final 1:27 of the first half. Both times, the Lions hit a three pointer on the other end to extend their lead to two possessions. Augustine Ene (Carrollton – Creekview) drilled a three pointer to end the first half and knocked down another one to start the second half for a 48-39 lead for the Lions.
 
After shooting 50 percent from distance and 52 percent from the field in the first half, the Patriots shot 33 percent from the field over the first eight minutes of the second half and missed all 10 three-point attempts in the second half.
 
The Lions built a 58-49 lead by going on a 7-0 run, but the Patriots scored 10 of the next 11 to tie the game at 8:08 mark. A 10-0 run with the Lions being held scoreless for three minutes gave the Patriots their first lead of the second half.
 
JJ Romer Rosario (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) ended over a nine-minute drought for the Lions without a field goal, drilling a three pointer to pull the Lions within 66-65. The Patriots' Paul Djoko dunked it down on their end to go back up by three with less than a minute to go.
 
The Lions were held to nine points in the final 11:32 of the game, with just one made field goal during that stretch. The Patriots had an 11-point advantage at the free throw line. UT Tyler shot 21 for 27 at the line, while the Lions shot 11 for 19.
 
A&M-Commerce shot 5 for 24 in the second half and could not capitalize on the Patriots shooting 8 for 25. Soloman Thomas led the way 17 points, while Djoko had nine rebounds. Micah Fuller shot 11 for 11 from the line.
 
Roberson and Tuttle had 12 points each. Tuttle also led the team with four assists. Gaffney had team-best seven rebounds as well as seven points. Ene totaled nine points, two rebounds, two steals, and a block. Khaliq Abdul-Mateen (Cy Lakes) had nine points off the bench.
 
Every player that appeared in the game for the Lions scored at least one point. Alphonso Willis (Atlanta, Ga.) had four points, three rebounds, and two assists. Demarcus Demonia (Fort Washington, Md.) scored two points, two rebounds, and two assists.
 
Romer Rosario had seven points, one rebound, and an assist. Carius Key (Irving – MacArthur) had three points and three rebounds. Alex Peavy (San Antonio – Smithson Valley) had two points and six rebounds.


POSTGAME INTERVIEW
 
UP NEXT
A&M-Commerce returns home for the final two home games of the regular season next weekend. The Lions host St. Edward's on Thursday, February 17 at 7:30 p.m. and St. Mary's on Senior Day on Saturday, February 19 at 4 p.m.