TYLER, Texas - The UT Tyler Men's Basketball program played their fourth game of the season and second at home on Thursday night in the Herrington Patriot Center. The Patriots improved to 2-2 overall after downing the Warriors 72-54. 

FIRST HALF:
The Patriots trailed for just 1:13 in the entire game on Thursday night. Hendrix took a 2-0 lead on a pair of free-throws in the first minute of play. Chris Craig recorded a steal before laying in a basket to tie the game at the 18:47 mark. 

The game would even up again at the 13:23 mark before UT Tyler took the lead for good with 12:54 remaining. Craig drained an unassisted three to give UT Tyler the 11-8 lead. 

UT Tyler would continue to control play in the first half, stretching their lead to 10 with 6:32 remaining in the half. A layup from Xavier Fogle gave the Patriots a 27-17 lead. 

When the final buzzer of the first half sounded, UT Tyler led the Warriors 42-26. The 16-point lead would be the largest lead of the first half, courtesy of a Brad Mason three with 34 seconds remaining. 

Craig led the way for UT Tyler in the first half, recording 14 points. Mason would finish the half with 13 points. Fogle led the way on the boards, recording four rebounds in the first half. Craig, Corbin Stephens, and Omar Mohamed each recorded a block in the first half. 

SECOND HALF:
Hendrix would open the second half of play with a 6-0 run, cutting the Patriot lead to 10 over the first three minutes of play. 

UT Tyler would return to their first half form at the midway point of the second half, stretching their lead to 16 once again. 

A Fogle three with 6:14 remaining gave UT Tyler a 25-point lead, their largest to that point of the game. 

With 3:06 remaining, Deven Banitt recorded a basket in the paint to give UT Tyler a 26-point lead. 

When the final buzzer sounded on Thursday's matchup, the Patriots has improved to 2-2, winning 72-54. 

BY THE NUMBERS:
Mason would lead the Patriots with 17 points on the night, one of four Patriots to reach double digits. Craig would end his night with 16 points and six rebounds. Corbin Stephens recorded 12 points and four rebounds. Fogle finished the night with 11 points and a team-high seven boards. 

UT Tyler shot 44.4% from the field on Thursday night, going 5-10 from behind the arc. The Patriots went 19-25 at the free-throw line, a percentage of 76% after going 14-15 in the first half. 

The Patriot scored 14 points off turnovers, recording 36 points in the paint. UT Tyler would record five second-chance points and got 35 points off the bench. 

UP NEXT:
UT Tyler will host Ozarks on Saturday, December 1 for "Patriotic Pats" day at the Herrington Patriot Center. Members of the Military, Veterans, and First Responders will be honored before Saturday's Men's and Women's games. Admission will be free for all with the Women's game slated for 1:00 and the Men's game at 3:00 p.m.