DALLAS, Texas – The Aggie men worked to close a 21-point deficit down to just one possession in the final seconds of their contest with Dallas Baptist but could not secure the lead as they fell 85-79 on Tuesday night.
 
CU stayed hot on the Patriot's heels in the first half, matching their 15-for-31 effort from the field and making just one trey shy of DBU's four to enter the locker room down 38-35. The Aggies tied DBU four times during the opening half but did not see the lead as Boy Van Vliet kept them busy with a 16 point first half outing.
 
JV Long opened the second half with a pair of jumpers inside the 17-minute marker until the Patriots blew the game wide open, going on a 21-1 run highlighted by nine from Patrick Burke down to 10:22 on the clock for a 60-41 advantage.
 
The Aggies didn't lay down though and spurred a 14-2 run of their own with under eight minutes to go. Cameron knocked DBU's lead back to single digits on a tag team effort from Bryce Elie and Johann Tate. Tate drained two clutch three-pointers while Elie worked in eight points down low capping off the run with a dunk all assisted by JV Long.
 
The Patriots built their lead back to 14 points, but the Aggies weren't finished. This time Cameron went for a 12-2 run flourished by back-to-back three-pointers from Tate off two straight DBU turnovers putting CU down 80-74 with 22 seconds remaining.
 
The Aggies sent Van Vliet to the line whose good free throws still kept CU within two possessions. At 13 seconds left, Tyus Momoh hit a three-pointer putting the Aggies within one possession. DBU's Carter Brown missed one of two free throws giving his team an 83-79 edge with 8 seconds to go.
 
Down the other end of the court, CU missed their final three point attempt and did not draw the foul anyway as the Patriots escaped with an 85-79 win and 12th straight home victory.
 
DBU stays perfect at 4-0 on the young season while the Aggie men drop to 2-3 overall.
 
Tate led CU with 18 points with five made three-pointers. Elie was next with 15 points. Long, Momoh and Tyler Williams joined double digit scoring with 13, 12 and 11 points respectively.
 
Long paired his 13 points with 10 assists for his first double-double of his junior campaign. Williams led CU at the boards with six rebounds.
 
On DBU's side, Van Vliet was one point shy of a career high 30 points. Burke totaled 12 points and eight rebounds. Carter Brown was a force on defense, making three of four DBU blocks plus nine assists.
 
Next, Cameron will host SWOSU on Saturday for their home opener starting at 3 p.m. in the Aggie Gym.