DALLAS, Texas – The Rogers State men's basketball team had its six-game win streak snapped by a sharp-shooting Dallas Baptist falling 90-74 in the Heartland Conference opener for both teams Monday at Burg Center.
 
The Hillcats allowed a season-high 90 points and 15 three pointers dropping their first game since a loss to No. 17 UC Colorado Springs exactly one month ago.
 
The Patriots opened the game doing what they do best, hitting from behind the arc as they average 11 made triples per game, jumping out to a quick 5-0 lead. RSU answered taking its only lead of the game, 9-8, as DesJuan Newton got a fast-break dunk on a J.C. Hartzler steal after Corey Ayala knocked down a triple.
 
DBU regained the lead with back-to-back treys and the Hillcats cut the deficit to one on three different occasions during the first half but could not recover trailing by as many as 10 in the frame before going down 42-36 at halftime.
 
The Patriots opened the second half knocking down its first seven shots, including four from downtown, taking a 60-45 advantage six minutes into the second stanza. Coming out of the media timeout, RSU scored the next five points clawing back into the game but the Patriots continued the sharp-shooting frame maintaining the double-digit advantage the rest of the way.
 
The Hillcats could not recover as DBU took control of the game using an 8-0 run stretching their lead to 19 points, 79-60, with 4:45 remaining getting back-to-back three pointers from Myles Johnson. Four different players hit at least three from behind the arc for the Patriots. Johnson led all scorers with 24 points matching his career best.
 
Hartzler and Newton paced the Hillcats scoring 18 and 17 points, respectively, while Hartzler grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and Newton added six assists. Donald Moore and Frederico Santos also hit double-figure scoring for the Cats.
 
RSU (6-3 overall, 0-1 HC) continues the conference-opening road trip at the league's defending regular season champion UA Fort Smith Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The game can be heard live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.