ODESSA, TEXAS - The UT Tyler Patriots suffered a tough 80-58 loss to UT Permian Basin on Thursday night, struggling to keep pace with the Falcons in the second half. 

Despite the loss, Dontrell Hewlett put together a strong performance, leading UT Tyler in both scoring and rebounding with 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting and grabbing seven boards. Mareng Gatkuoth contributed 10 points, while Akok Machar added nine in the effort.

The game began well for the Patriots, as Hewlett opened the Patriot scoring with a jumper. Two possessions later, he buried a pull-up three-pointer to tie the game at 5-5. The early minutes of the first half featured a competitive back-and-forth battle, but the Falcons captured momentum with a 12-3 run. That momentum was briefly halted by Akok Machar when he knocked down a three-pointer at the 11-minute mark, keeping the Patriots within distance.

UT Tyler managed to hold off any extended runs from UT Permian Basin for the remainder of the first half. They chipped away at the deficit, cutting the lead to just five points heading into the break. A free throw from Juan Pablo Camargo in the closing seconds of the half brought the score to 34-29 in favor of the Falcons.

The second half, however, proved to be the difference in the game. Dontrell Hewlett once again got the Patriots on the board early, converting a layup to bring UT Tyler within three. Unfortunately for the Patriots, that was as close as they would get for the rest of the night. The Falcons responded with a dominant offensive display, outscoring UT Tyler 46-27 in the second half to put the game out of reach.

Offensive struggles plagued the Patriots after halftime. They shot just 12-of-28 from the field and just 2-of-12 from beyond the arc, unable to find their rhythm. Meanwhile, UT Permian Basin capitalized on their opportunities, not only from the field but also at the free-throw line. The Falcons earned 16 free throw attempts in the second half compared to just five for the Patriots, making it difficult for UT Tyler to gain any momentum.

With the loss, UT Tyler drops to 5-15 in conference play as they now shift their focus to Angelo State, where they hope to regroup and find a way to snap their losing skid. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. on Saturday in San Angelo, where UT Tyler will look to put together a complete performance and get back on track in conference play.