KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – UT Tyler came out on the wrong side of a 55-47 defensive battle against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Both teams failed to register a shooting percentage greater than 30 percent in the ballgame as both defensives shined throughout the entirety of the contest. The 55 points are the fewest conceded by UT Tyler in Lone Star Conference play this year.
On the contrary, the 47-point total for the Patriot offense is the lowest output of the conference schedule for the unit. Freshman
Jesse Fuller nearly notched double-double figures for the first time in his UT Tyler career, matching the team high with nine points and leading the rebounding effort with 10.
Junior
Bryce Roberts matched Fuller with those nine points, while forward
Juan Pablo Camargo added eight points and six rebounds.
UT Tyler shot just 18-for-61 (29.5 percent) from the field as a team and 4-for-23 (17.4 percent) from beyond the three-point line. Texas A&M-Kingsville went just 15-for-57 (26.3 percent) from the field in the game, but ultimately made up the difference with seven made three-pointers in the second half alone.
Those seven made three-point shots negated a 26-22 advantage at the half for UT Tyler. A 12-0 run for Texas A&M-Kingsville courtesy of four straight unanswered three-point makes for the Javelinas over a three-minute stretch flipped what was once a six-point lead for the Patriots in the early stages of the half into a 35-32 lead for Texas A&M-Kingsville with 11:47 left.
A
Bryce Roberts three-point connection with 10:26 left provided UT Tyler with what would ultimately be their final advantage of the ball game at 37-36.
Texas A&M-Kingsville clung to a 46-45 advantage with 4:58 left leading into a final five minutes of play in which UT Tyler would go just 1-for-5 from the field. The Patriots didn't score a point for the final 4:13 of play.
UT Tyler held the advantage in rebounding with a 47-to-40 metric.
The Patriots will stay on the road on Saturday afternoon for a 3 p.m. meeting against Texas A&M International in Laredo.
