UT Tyler Overpowers UTPB Falcons in second-Half Surge, 83-58
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teh University of Texas at Tyler defeated the university of Texas Permian Basin men’s basketball team 83-58 on Sunday, January 4, 2026, inside the Falcon Dome, despite a competitive first half from the Falcons. A stark contrast in second-half performance proved decisive, as UT Tyler capitalized on defensive control and efficient shooting to secure the victory.
Half Battle Sees Falcons Keep Pace
The game began as a back-and-forth affair,with both teams opening with triumphant three-pointers. A quick three from Connor Morris gave UTPB an early 6-5 lead just two minutes into the contest. Bryceson Burns extended the Falcons’ advantage to 11-7 with another three-pointer shortly after. However, UT Tyler responded with an 11-0 run, fueled by five consecutive layups, shifting the momentum.
UTPB refused to concede ground, answering with three-pointers from TJ McKenzie and Sharrod Taylor, the latter cutting the deficit to 20-17 with 12 minutes remaining in the first half. Taylor continued to be a key offensive force, sinking three consecutive free throws and later a four-point play, bringing UTPB back within five points (38-33) with two minutes left before halftime. A subsequent and-one play by Marcus Burnett narrowed the gap to four,and a late foul on Taylor while attempting a three-pointer allowed him to tie the score at 38 with two free throws. A dunk by Kyle McElroy, assisted by Tash Lunday, capped off a 14-6 run for UTPB in the final 3:14 of the half, leaving the score at 44-38 at the break.
Second-Half Collapse Seals Falcons’ Fate
The promising first-half performance quickly unraveled for UTPB as UT Tyler dominated the second half. The Patriots opened with a dunk and a floater, extending their lead to 48-38.UT Tyler then embarked on a 10-1 run in the first four minutes of the second half, building a 15-point advantage (54-39).This lead quickly ballooned to 16-3, reaching 60-41 before UTPB managed its first field goal of the half – a layup by burns six and a half minutes into the period.
UT Tyler’s shooting efficiency, wich saw them shoot 7-for-11 (63.6 percent) from the field and 11-for-19 (57.9 percent) overall in the first half, continued into the second. They added 16 more field goals while holding the Falcons to just five made field goals and a dismal 1-for-10 mark from three-point range. UTPB was held to just 20 points in the second half and shot below 30 percent from the field for the first time all season. After starting the game 5-for-7 from three,the Falcons finished a disappointing 3-for-17 from beyond the arc.
Key Players and Looking Ahead
Sharrod Taylor and Bryceson Burns led UTPB with 13 and 12 points, respectively, while Connor Morris added eight points and Tash Lunday contributed six points and six rebounds. Despite their efforts, the Falcons could not overcome UT Tyler’s second-half surge.
The loss drops UTPB to 4-10 overall and 0-6 in the Lone Star Conference, while UT Tyler improves to 7-4 and 1-4. Notably, UTPB had previously held a 7-0 record against UT Tyler, including a 22-point victory (80-58) at home last season.
UTPB Head Coach Kyle Tolin expressed his disappointment, stating, “I was embarrassed by how we played today. I apologize to UTPB. We will work hard to get this fixed.”
The Falcons will return to the road next week, traveling to Oklahoma for a pair of games. They will face oklahoma Christian University at 7:30 p.m.on Thursday, january 8, followed by Cameron University at 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 10.
