TYLER, TEXAS – The University of Texas at Tyler used efficient three-point shooting and a quick start in the second half to cruise to an 80-51 win over Eastern New Mexico on Thursday night inside the Herrington Patriot Center.
 
UT Tyler went 12-of-23 (52.2 percent) from behind the three-point arc and scored the first 11 points of the second half to move to 10-2 on the year and 2-1 in Lone Star Conference play. Graduate student Micah Fuller went for a season-high 21 points, 15 of which came in the second half, and finished the night 6-of-8 from three-point range.
 
That quick start to the second half extended a 34-21 lead at the halftime break to 45-21 with 16:28 still left on the clock. Eastern New Mexico never got the deficit back down to less than 20 from that point forward as Fuller hit all four of his three-point attempts in the second half to finish the night 7-of-11 from the field.
 
The Patriot defense also shined throughout the evening, limiting Eastern New Mexico to just eight made attempts from the field in the first half, and nine made shots in the second half. The Greyhounds finished the night 17-of-60 (28.3 percent) from the field, the lowest percentage any team has shot against the Patriots all season.
 
The 51 point total for the Greyhounds is also the lowest point total allowed by the Patriots in Lone Star Conference play, and the second lowest point total allowed by UT Tyler all season.
 
The defensive pressure which created bad shot opportunities for the Greyhounds all night allowed UT Tyler to lead by as many as 31, and limited Eastern New Mexico to just 16 points in the paint. The Patriots on the other hand scored 36 points in the paint to go along with their 12 three-point makes on the evening, and out-rebounded Eastern New Mexico by a 49-to-30 margin.
 
Sophomore Paul Djoko led that rebounding effort for the Patriots with seven boards, while Finn Fleute and Kyle Frelow both secured six rebounds. Frelow added 10 points in just eight minutes of action to go along with those six boards, a season-high for the freshman out of Los Angeles, Calif.
 
Fuller and Frelow were the only two Patriots to reach double-digit points on the evening, although five different Patriots scored seven or more points to add to a night in which the Patriots shot a perfect 50.0 percent (32-of-64) from the field.
 
The dominate win was a testament to the Patriots focus as they will now shift their attention to yet another stern test on Saturday afternoon. UT Tyler will welcome #1 Lubbock Christian to the Herrington Patriot Center, who sports a 15-0 record on the year and sits atop the LSC standings with a perfect 3-0 mark in league play.
 
Tip-off for the second game against a nationally-ranked opponent for the Patriots in less than a week is slated for a 4 p.m. start. The first 200 fans in attendance will receive a free taco, courtesy of Fuzzy's Taco Shop.