RICHARDSON, TEXAS – The UT Tyler Patriots delivered one of their most complete wire-to-wire performances of the season Thursday afternoon, dominating the opening 20 minutes and maintaining firm control throughout a 71–50 road victory over the UT Dallas Comets.
UT Tyler wasted little time establishing momentum, opening the contest on a 9-2 run behind back-to-back jumpers from Kyle Morgan and a strong finish inside from Jacob Bell. After the Comets briefly cut the deficit to 9-4, the Patriots responded with a decisive 8-0 surge. Morgan knocked down a three-pointer to ignite the push, Xavier Williams followed with a jumper and a free throw, and Sean Emfinger converted a steal into a fastbreak layup to stretch the advantage to 17-4 just five minutes into the game.
The defensive pressure continued to fuel extended runs. UT Tyler held the Comets without a field goal for more than four minutes during a critical stretch, using that time to put together a 13-6 run that pushed the lead to 30-10. John Barbee buried a three-pointer from the wing, Williams scored twice in the paint, and Sam Phipps controlled the glass while protecting the rim with multiple blocks. The Patriots closed the half on an 8-4 run, highlighted by late free throws from Barbee and another Williams jumper, to carry a commanding 38-18 lead into the break. UT Tyler shot 50 percent (15-of-30) in the first half while limiting the Comets to just 18 points and no ties or lead changes.
UT Dallas opened the second half with a quick basket, but UT Tyler immediately answered with a 5-2 run to keep the margin above 20. Williams scored inside, and Phipps followed with back-to-back buckets, including a powerful dunk that re-energized the Patriots’ bench. When the Comets strung together an 8-2 stretch to trim the deficit to 47-32, UT Tyler once again had a response to put the game away. Phipps completed a three-point play, Barbee knocked down another three-pointer, and Wiliams added a paint finish to extend the advantage back to 18.
The Patriots continued to execute down the stretch, pushing the lead to as many as 23 points. Spencer Gaze and Mate Kapanadze provided a late spark off the bench, combining for key baskets in the final minutes. Kapanadze capped the scoring with a three-pointer in the closing seconds to secure the 21-point victory.
Williams led the Patriots with 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting while adding five rebounds. Morgan finished with 13 points, and Phipps posted 12 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks in a dominant interior performance. Barbee added 11 points off the bench, helping UT Tyler total 23 bench points. The Patriots finished 29-of-63 (46.0 percent) from the field, outrebounded the Comets 41-36, scored 34 points in the paint, and turned offensive rebounds into 15 second-chance points. UT Tyler never trailed and did not allow a single tie throughout the contest.
The Patriots will return home Thursday night for Greek Night at 7:30 p.m to host the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas as they look to carry momentum from their dominant road performance back inside the Herrington Patriot Center.