The hot shooting of UT Tyler sparked the host Patriots to an 88-65 win over the LeTourneau University men's basketball team on Monday night in Tyler.

The contest went back and forth through the opening eight minutes of the game before a Darryn York lay-up sparked a spurt that put the home team ahead by two, 14-12 and for the rest of the contest. Later in the half, LETU managed to get the deficit to one but a 12-2 run pushed the lead to double figures for the remainder of the game.
 
LeTourneau (4-9, 2-3 ASC) was led by senior CJ Edwards, who had 20 points in the loss. It is the seventh-straight game in which Edwards has been in double figures for the YellowJackets. Joining him in double figures was junior Jeff Martin, who added 10; plus senior Giovanny Thompson nearly had a double double off the bench with nine points and nine rebounds.
 
UT Tyler (8-3, 3-2 ASC) shot 50.7% (35-for-69) from the field in the win as four Patriots scored in double figures in the win. It is the fourth time on the season that the Patriots have shot at least 50% from the field in a win on the season.
 
The top scorer for the Patriots was Anthony Gonzalez, who had 20 points in the win. He was joined in double figures by reigning ASC East Division Player of the Week, Demarcus Metcalf, who had a double double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, plus reserves Ty Davis and Deon Rodgers, who each had 12 points. The bench for UT Tyler outscored LeTourneau, 40-15 in the win.
 
Edwards and Martin managed to cut the deficit to 13 in the second 20 minutes before a decisive 9-0 run by UT Tyler ended the comeback hopes for LeTourneau, who had defeated the Patriots by 15, 83-68 on December 17 in Longview.
 
Next, the YellowJackets will continue its five-game road swing as they will face Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton on Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7:30 p.m.