TYLER, Texas – Making 58% of their shots in the second half, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team turned the game from a one-point deficit at halftime into an 88-78 victory over the University of Texas Tyler. ETBU is now 9-9 overall.
 
Four players reached double-digits in scoring with Jordan Gray (five three-pointers) and Robby Dooley (seven rebounds) leading with 23 and 22 points respectively. Westin Riddick collected 14 points while Nathan Fontenot (seven assists) finished with 12 points. For UTT, Lense Ramey (22 points) and Tyrick Bennett (21 points) combined for 43 of the team's 78 points.
 
While they were outshot by UTT 48%-46%, the Tigers' 12 three-pointers as a team helped them with a 46%-31% edge from downtown. ETBU also outrebounded UTT 33-32 and picked up 13 steals while forcing 17 turnovers. In addition, ETBU outscored UTT 28-7 in fast break points.
 
Early on, Dooley would equalize the four points from UTT (19:46, 18:29) with four of his own (19:11-18:15). UTT would lead 11-10 (15:34) before Gray connected on a three (15:27) for a 13-11 lead. The Patriots built an 11-3 (13:27-12:02) run for a 22-16 cushion. The Tigers tied it with six straight points (11:51-9:40). The rest of the half would see ETBU build leads no more than three before the Patriots would take control at 31-29 (4:55). Down 35-29 (4:05), ETBU would manage to end the half with seven unanswered as Jarrell Taylor (3:08) and Dooley (2:31-1:48) brought ETBU back up 36-35. UTT would retake the lead at halftime, 37-36.
 
Christopher Haynes would put ETBU ahead with a three-point play (19:50) at 39-37. After UTT evened the score at 39 (19:39), Dooley seized the lead for good (19:14) with a layup to make it 41-39. The Tigers would start connecting with three balls from Riddick (17:35) and Gray (16:34) while Dooley would run off six unanswered points (13:19-12:18) as the Tigers went up eight at 55-47. Gray then scored five unanswered points (12:00-11:25 before Zach Elliott made a layup (9:05) as ETBU's lead grew to 62-47. UTT would manage to put together strong runs bringing the game to single digits at 72-63 (4:17) and 80-73 (1:07). But each time, ETBU would make clutch free throws from Riddick (1:01), Gray (0:45) and Fontenot (0:38) as the Tigers walked out of the Louise Herrington Patriot Center with an 88-78 win.
 
ETBU will hit the road to Clarksville, Ark., for a 3:30 PM game against the University of Ozarks.