DENVER, CO – UT Tyler men's basketball opened its 2025–26 season on the road Friday night and delivered a complete second-half performance to earn a 72–65 win over Regis, capping off a strong opening weekend start in Colorado.
The Patriots and Rangers went into halftime tied 27–27 after a back-and-forth first twenty minutes that featured four ties and two lead changes. UT Tyler came out quickly, starting the night on an 8–2 run behind early finishes at the rim from Noah Suarjaya and jumpers from Xavier Williams and Kyle Morgan. Their defensive presence inside was immediately felt—most notably from Sam Phipps, who recorded multiple first-half blocks and fought for tough rebounds to keep UT Tyler even during a stretch where shots weren't falling.
After UT Tyler's early push, Regis responded with a run of its own to make it a one-possession game, and both teams traded baskets for much of the half. The Patriots continued to generate paint touches, scoring most of their points in the lane, but cold perimeter shooting kept things level heading into the locker room.
Coming out of halftime, UT Tyler completely flipped the offensive script. The Patriots opened the second half with a 10–5 run, finished by back-to-back three-pointers from Morgan and Suarjaya that swung momentum firmly to the UT Tyler sideline. That sequence lit the fuse for UT Tyler's best stretch of the night, as the Patriots proceeded to shoot 71% from three and 55% from the field over the final 20 minutes of the game.
Morgan stayed hot throughout the period, knocking down a key three to extend the lead to multiple possessions. John Barbee added a deep three of his own moments later, while Suarjaya finished the night a perfect 8–8 at the free throw line when the Patriots needed them most, part of UT Tyler's 12–15 mark overall.
The spark off the bench came from Barbee, who delivered a complete two-way performance. He poured in 17 points, grabbed five rebounds, swiped three steals, and finished with a staggering +23 plus/minus—all in just 17 minutes. His activity on both ends keyed a stretch where UT Tyler forced multiple turnovers, helping generate 16 points off giveaways and 13 fast-break points for the game.
Defensively, the Patriots tightened the screws across the second half, holding Regis to contested looks and protecting the rim all night with seven blocks—three of which came from Phipps, who anchored the interior.
UT Tyler controlled the lead for 18:53 of the second half, maintaining separation thanks to disciplined ball security and a relentless defensive effort. The Patriots dominated 36–26 in the paint, won the turnover battle by forcing 14 giveaways, and had four players score in double figures, with Barbee leading the way with 17 points followed by Morgan with 16, Suarjaya with 15, and Phipps adding 10 in the victory.
The win moves UT Tyler to 1–0 on the season as the Patriots continue their Colorado road swing Saturday against Colorado School of Mines.
