LAST TIME OUT
 
Last weekend the Patriots split their LSC battles against Cameron and Oklahoma Christian. Against the Aggies, the Patriots started slow and trailed by 23 at the half. In the second half the Patriots found their offensive stride, but would eventually fall 78-66. On Saturday afternoon the Patriots raced out to a huge lead over the Eagles by the end of the first half, and they would go on to win 76-65 to claim a season sweep over Oklahoma Christian.
 
PATRIOTS NOTES AND TRENDS

• UT Tyler is 8-13 on the season and 5-10 in LSC play.
• The Patriots have now surpassed their win total from the 2023-24 season. One of those is a win over Regis, which doubles as an in-region victory and a win over the team picked third in the preseason RMAC poll.
• Head coach Tim Moser is in his second season as head coach of the program. 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 521-212 career record 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 150-33 (.828) over six seasons as head coach of the women's side at Alaska-Anchorage from 2006-12. 
• The Patriots are putting together a dominant defense at the national level thus far this season. They rank 17^th nationally in field goal percentage defense, 20^th in three point percentage defense, 40^th in scoring defense, and 41^st in blocks per game.
• Individually, Dontrell Hewlett ranks inside the top 12 in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio (11^th), and assists per game (11^th). Sam Phipps ranks 5^th in both blocks and 5^th  blocks per game.

 
RATTLERS NOTES AND TRENDS

• St. Mary's stands at 16-4 overall and 13-1 in LSC play. The Rattlers have won their last 10 games consecutively and lead the LSC standings.
• The Rattlers are scoring 73.2 points per game on 45% shooting from the field and 29% from beyond the arc. Their opponents are scoring 65.9 points per game on 41% shooting and 32% from deep.
• Damani Claxton leads the offense at 17.1 points per game on 49% shooting. He has the second most assists on the team and also leads the team in steals.
• Head coach Bubba Meyer is in the second year with the Rattlers and is 28-20 thus far. He served the previous 22 years as an assistant coach under his father, Buddy.
• The Rattlers hold a 5-3 lead all-time in the series history, and have won each of the last four games.

 
HILLTOPPERS NOTES AND TRENDS

• St. Edward's is 14-9 on the year and 8-6 in LSC play. They are winners of their last three games and four of their last five.
• The Hilltoppers are scoring 79.2 points per game on 46% shooting and 37% from beyond the arc. They are holding opponents to 71.3 points per game on 44% shooting from the floor and 36% from deep.
• Five players are averaging double figures for the Hilltoppers, led by Lewis Rowe. Rowe is scoring 13.4 points per game on 56% from the field. He leads the team in rebounding and has 42 assists and 28 steals in 23 games played.
• Andre Cook leads the program and is in his 16^th season. He holds a career record of 276-185, all with the Hilltoppers.
• St. Edward's is 7-2 against the Patriots all time, with the Patriots taking the last meeting 75-72 inside the HPC.