Match Info	Opponent Info
UT Tyler vs. Cameron UTT: 1-3, 0-0 LSC | CU: 3-2, 0-0 LSC Thursday, Nov. 30th | 7:30 p.m. Lawton, Okla. | Aggie Gym		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
UT Tyler vs. (RV) Midwestern State UTT: 1-3, 0-0 LSC | MSU: 6-0, 0-0 LSC Saturday, Dec. 2nd | 3 p.m. Wichita Falls, Texas | D.L. Ligon Coliseum		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS

LAST TIME OUT

UT Tyler forced overtime after trailing by 23 points in the first half to provide a spirited effort in an 88-81 overtime loss to Arkansas Tech. The Patriots (1-3) withstood a furious start for Arkansas Tech (2-2) in the first 15 minutes of action that saw the Wonder Boys connect on six three pointers in route to a 37-14 advantage with 6:56 remaining in the first half. UT Tyler closed out the final five minutes of the first half on a 15-3 run to cut the once 23-point deficit to just nine points at 40-31 heading into the halftime break. UT Tyler then out-scored Arkansas Tech by a 43-to-34 margin in the second half of play to force overtime with the score deadlocked at 74-74 at the end of regulation. Junior Bryce Roberts, who buried the tying shot with one second on the clock, grabbed a loose ball on the ensuing in-bound pass and rattled a half-court heave at the buzzer that rimmed out, nearly providing the heroic game-winning basket for the Patriots. Arkansas Tech stood strong defensively in the overtime period, preventing a UT Tyler basket for the final three minutes of action, and made enough free throws down the stretch to escape with the 88-81 victory. Redshirt sophomore Nikolas Gustavson led the Patriots with 15 points on the night, nine of which came in the second half. Roberts finished with 14 points, and graduate student Jonathan Jackson with 10, all of which came in the final 20 minutes of play.

WHAT COACH MOSER IS SAYING

On the slow start, strong finish theme for the Patriots through four games in 2023-24... "We own how we've played as a team as a coaching staff. We're still a young team, and we've come out and just haven't figured out how to take the floor as a team. I own that as the head coach. Some of it comes down to leadership on the floor to help us get off to a better start. We have kind of laughed about it though and just decided to change everything that we are doing before the game, how we practice right before the game, how we warm up, we're doing everything we can to figure out how to start a game like we begin and then play throughout the second half."

On the positives he has seen from his team... "I think we're gritty and we're going to fight. I like the group of guys that we have and we're really building a brotherhood, which seems to really be their goal. I think Donta Dawson Jr. and Alec Zambie are starting to take leadership roles, and I like that. Our guard play has been good, we really don't have a point guard per say, but we have really been able to share the ball and fight for each other. We just have to keep growing and I think our team has a really high ceiling, which is a positive, but we have to start getting closer to that potential."

On Cameron and Midwestern State as opponents for the opening weekend of Lone Star Conference play... "First and foremost we have to get off to a better start. We cannot start the game like we have, you get yourself down on the road by 20 in conference play and it's probably over. Cameron is really well coached, they've got good players and it's a tough place to play. Every game in this league is hard to win on the road. Midwestern State is undefeated, they're really talented and they do some things that are going to really challenge us as a young team. We have to go and play well, bring more energy and intensity right out of the gate."

PATRIOT NEWS AND NOTES

- Despite entering Lone Star Conference play with a 1-3 overall record, UT Tyler has out-scored all four of their opponents thus far in 2023-24 in the second half of action. The Patriots hold a 166-to-115 scoring advantage in the second half this season. On the flip side of the coin, UT Tyler has been out-scored by their opposition 156-to-115 in the first half.
- Graduate student Jonathan Jackson led the team in scoring in each of the first two outings this season, but the Patriots have featured a different scoring leader in each of their last two outings. Junior Bryce Roberts leads the team in scoring with an average of 14.3 points a contest after missing the first game of the season due to injury.
- Jackson has averaged 11.3 points a game through the first four games of his Patriot career and is currently shooting 40 percent (12-for-30) from three-point range.
- Roberts has gone for double-digit scoring figures in all three of his appearances thus far including a season-high 19 points in the win over Dallas Christian College on Nov. 21st.
- Junior Alec Zambie has led the team in rebounding in three out of the four games in 2023-24 and is averaging a team best 8.3 rebounds per contest. He went for his first career double-double in the last game against Arkansas Tech for UT Tyler with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
- Nine different Patriots have averaged more than 10 minutes a contest. 
- The Patriots are 234-279 (.456) all-time as a program and 54-75 (.420) since beginning Division II play in 2019-20. The Patriots are 24-52 in four seasons of Lone Star Conference play.
- UT Tyler has won each of their last two Lone Star Conference openers including a 69-57 win over Cameron on their home floor last season.
- The Patriots have shown glimpses of success during the Division II era, having earned national rankings early in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, but closed out each of the last two campaigns with three and eight game losing streaks, respectively. UT Tyler finished 9-17 last season and 5-17 in Lone Star Conference play. The Patriots had their best season of the Division II era the previous year as they went 16-10, made their first appearance in the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament and were regionally ranked in three editions of the NCAA Division II Regional Rankings.
- Head coach Tim Moser takes the reigns of the program in 2023-24 as the fifth head coach in UT Tyler men's basketball history. Moser returns to the men's side of the collegiate game after serving as the Associate Head Coach for a remarkable turnaround within the UT Tyler women's basketball program.  As a head coach, Moser holds a 512-175 career record (.747) and has won 13 conference championships en route to 12 conference or region coach of the year accolades. Combined with his totals as an assistant coach, Moser has coached 20 conference championship teams during his storied career. He has served as head coach on the men's side at Eastern Wyoming College from 2018-2021 and at Otero Junior College from 1998-2005. He went 150-31 (.828) over six seasons as head coach of the women's side at Alaska-Anchorage from 2006-12. 
- The 2023-24 roster features just three returners from the 2022-23 roster for UT Tyler, only one of which saw game action last season. Redshirt senior Terrell Wilson will return for his second season in a UT Tyler uniform after earning All-Lone Star Conference honors in 2020-21 and 2021-22 at Midwestern State. The Houston, Texas native will serve as the leading returner in all statistical categories for the Patriots and averaged 7.7 points a contest last year. The 2023-24 roster features 16 newcomers to begin the year, seven junior college additions, five four-year transfers and four freshman. 
- The Patriots have won five straight against Cameron and hold a 5-1 all-time record in the series. UT Tyler is 4-0 all-time against the Aggies in Lawton and have won three of those contests by 10 or more points.
- UT Tyler is 4-4 all-time against Midwestern State, having won four out of the last five match-ups between the two programs. The Patriots are 2-3 all-time on the road against Midwestern State.