TYLER, Texas – The #17 St. Edward's men's basketball team hung on for the win over UT Tyler Saturday night, defeating the Patriots 85-80.
 
SEU started well, jumping out to a 10-3 lead with 14:21 to go in the half, but UTT came storming back to take the lead, 15-13, with 9:21 to play.
 
CARSON MURPHY continued his hot shooting and hit a three to hand the lead back to the Hilltoppers, 15-13. It remained tight the rest of the half, with eight lead changes and six ties in the frame. By the break, St. Edward's trailed by one, 37-36.
 
The Hilltopper offense slowly got rolling in the second half and SEU was able to go up by six, 58-52, with 12:26 to play. UTT refused to give in and hit back-to-back threes in the midst of a 12-0 run to regain the lead, 64-58 with 9:36 remaining.
 
KIJANA LOVE kept SEU in the hunt with three threes in the second half and the Hilltoppers regained the lead with just under four minutes to play on LOGAN COOK's layup.
 
St. Edward's held onto the slimmest of margins late in the game, allowing UTT to pull within one point, 81-80 with under a minute to go after an offensive rebound and put back.
 
The Patriots had a chance to take the lead with 36 seconds remaining, but SEU forced the turnover and worked the clock down to eight seconds before B.J. MAXWELL drove the lane and drew the foul. Maxwell converted on both free throws to give St. Edward's a three-point lead, 83-80.
 
SEU forced another crucial turnover and made the final two free throws to close out the win.
 
St. Edward's shot 51.9 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from three-point range. Maxwell led the Hilltoppers with 20 points, going 6-13 from the field while DANIEL VENZANT added 18 and JAKE KRAFKA 13. Love ended the game with 11 points, shooting 4-5 from the floor and 3-4 from three point range.  
 
LOGAN COOK led on the glass with ten rebounds while Maxwell pulled down nine.
 
The Hilltoppers remain on the road to face Texas A&M International on January 14 at 6 pm.