TYLER, Texas -- Behind an all-senior starting lineup for Senior Day, UT Tyler jumped out to an early lead and used a strong finish to hold off Eastern New Mexico for a 77-69 victory Saturday afternoon.

The Patriots forced 23 Greyhound turnovers, a season-high for a Lone Star Conference opponent, and UT Tyler tied a season-high with 12 steals. Three of those turnovers came during a critical 9-0 run which gave the Patriots the lead for good, with a pair of ENMU offensive fouls and a Jared Jenkins steal setting up scoring opportunities for UT Tyler to take a 65-57 lead with just over three minutes remaining.

UT Tyler made 10-of-11 free throws in the final four minutes, maintaining a lead of at least three points the rest of the way to secure the victory. Micah Fuller scored a team-high 21 points, including 14-of-15 from the free throw line, and Ty Glover scored 20 points to help lead the Patriots.

With the victory, UT Tyler improved to 8-17 overall and 5-15 in the Lone Star Conference, while Eastern New Mexico dropped to 7-18 overall and 7-13 in the LSC.

Turning Point: The Patriots led by as many as 14 points in the first half, and they maintained the lead through the first 10 minutes of the second half until Eastern New Mexico quickly erased a 6-point UT Tyler lead with 7 consecutive points in less than two minutes. That gave the Greyhounds a 53-52 lead, its first lead of the game, and the lead went back and forth four times before the Patriots seized the lead for good with a 9-0 run. Micah Fuller knocked down four consecutive free throws, and on the last of those makes, Eastern New Mexico was whistled for a flagrant foul while boxing out underneath the basket. Ty Glover made 1-of-2 free throws, and he was fouled as the Patriots maintained possession, leading to another pair of free throws. A Jared Jenkins steal led to an Ansu Sesay layup, concluding the 9-point swing to give UT Tyler a 65-57 lead with 3:21 to play.

How It Happened: Ty Glover scored 9 quick points to lift UT Tyler to a 24-10 lead with 8:27 left in the opening half. Eastern New Mexico finished the half with an 11-4 run, closing the gap to just five points at halftime, 33-28.

The Patriots opened the second half with 7 straight points, as Darius Alford converted a three-point play on UT Tyler's first possession after halftime. On the next possession, the Patriots collected three offensive rebounds before Ansu Sesay finished the possession with a putback, and Micah Fuller had another putback with 17:49 left to extend the lead to 40-28.

Eastern New Mexico slowly chipped away at the lead from there, closing the gap to four, 46-42, over the next six minutes. The teams traded points, going back and forth from a four- to six-point margin until the Greyhounds took the lead for the first time with a 7-0 run. Darius Sawyer gave ENMU a 53-52 lead with 7:11 to play, and the lead changed hands five times over the next two minutes. A pair of Fuller free throws sparked the 9-0 run that gave the lead back to UT Tyler for good, and the Patriots led by at least three points the rest of the way.

UT Tyler Standouts: Micah Fuller led the Patriots in scoring for the second straight game, coming off the bench to score 21 points while hitting 14-of-15 free throws. He also dished out 4 assists and picked up 2 steals. Ty Glover scored 20 points with 7 rebounds, and 3 steals, and Ansu Sesay registered 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals. Darius Alford also reached double figures, scoring 10 points, and Xavier Fogle added 7 points.

Eastern New Mexico Standouts: Devin Pullum scored a game-high 26 points, hitting 8-of-13 from the field, 4-of-6 from three-point range, and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Brandon Meadows was the only other Greyhound in double figures, adding 10 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.

By The Numbers: UT Tyler registered 12 steals and committed 13 turnovers, while Eastern New Mexico had 23 turnovers, helping the Patriots carve out a 22-12 advantage in points off turnovers… The Patriots also used their 13 offensive rebounds to create a 9-2 edge in second chance points… The teams each grabbed 31 rebounds, although 13 of UT Tyler's boards came on the offensive glass while ENMU grabbed just 5 offensive boards… Eastern New Mexico shot 49 percent (21-for-43) from the field, including 42 percent (5-for-12) from three-point range… The Greyhounds shot 88 percent (22-for-25) from the free throw line… UT Tyler shot 38 percent (22-for-58) from the field and 19 percent (3-for-16) from beyond the arc… However, the Patriots created 23 turnovers while committing just 13, leading to 15 more field goal attempts than ENMU… The Patriots also shot 83 percent (30-for-36) from the free throw line… UT Tyler tied a season-high with 12 steals, which were part of 23 ENMU turnovers to tie a season-high for a Lone Star Conference foe… Micah Fuller notched his fifth 20-point game of the season, his third in the past four games, and Ty Glover's 20-point effort was his ninth game with at least 20 points.

What's Next: UT Tyler wraps up the 2019-20 campaign on the road, visiting UAFS on Thursday, Feb. 27, before taking on Oklahoma Christian on Saturday, Feb. 29.