TYLER, TEXAS – Graduate student Micah Fuller posted a season high scoring total for the second game in a row with 23 points as UT Tyler took #1 Lubbock Christian down to the wire before falling by a 74-69 final inside the Herrington Patriot Center.
 
Fuller and the Patriots went cold from the field in the second half after building a 38-32 lead at the halftime break, connecting on just 6-of-24 (25.0 percent) as a unit in the final 20 minutes of action. #1 Lubbock Christian was able to capitalize on the lack of baskets from the Patriots and posted 42 second-half points of their own to escape with the victory and remain undefeated on the year.
 
Both Fuller and senior Da'Zhon Wyche connected on three-point makes in the final minute of the first half to provide the biggest scoring margin of the contest at the time with that 38-32 advantage at the break. UT Tyler started the half without a basket for over 10 minutes, scoring their only five points of the first 10 minutes of action by way of the free-throw line.
 
Despite the shooting woes, UT Tyler stood strong defensively and didn't allow the Chaps to take the lead until the 10:38 mark of the second half with a 45-43 advantage. Lubbock Christian never relinquished advantage from then on as the Patriots simply couldn't generate enough offense, building a lead that extended to as many as 10 with just over four minutes left on the clock.
 
UT Tyler brought the lead down to four at the 67-63 mark with 31 seconds remaining thanks to free throw misses on behalf of the Chaps, but were unable to narrow the deficit any less.
 
Fuller finished the night 5-of-11 from the field, and did most of his work at the free-throw line, finishing 11-of-12 from the charity stripe. Graduate student Eysan Wiley led the Patriots with seven rebounds and chipped in 10 points, while guard Soloman Thomas finished his evening with 11 points.
 
Lubbock Christian knocked down exactly half of their attempts from the field (25-of-50), while UT Tyler connected on 20-of-49 (40.8 percent) of their shot attempts. The Patriots made 14-of-24 (56.0 percent) attempts in the first half, and finished the entirety of the contest 7-for-22 (31.8 percent) from three-point range.
 
UT Tyler will have a quick turnaround as they are set to travel to Commerce, Texas on Tuesday night for a meeting with Texas A&M-Commerce at 7:30 p.m.