TYLER, Texas – Sophomores Qua Grant and Joel Murray combined to score 45 points as No. 3 West Texas A&M defeated UT Tyler 73-62 on Thursday evening at the Herrington Patriot Center in Tyler. The Buffs host 41.1 percent from the floor as they improved to 26-1 overall and 18-1 in Lone Star Conference. 

The Buffs jumped out to a 16-5 lead in the opening five minutes after shooting 87.5 percent from the floor including a perfect 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. The Patriots responded with a 11-2 run over the next 2:47 to cut the lead to two points, 18-16, after WT went 1-of-4 from the floor with a pair of turnovers. 

It was a two-point game, 23-21, at the nine-minute mark until the Buffs went on a 11-0 run that lasted over five minutes to push the lead to 34-21. Grant got the run started with his second 3-pointer of the game followed by a three from JT Warren off an offensive rebound from Derrick Geddis. Murray continued the run with a layup while Grant hit a jumper to put him over 10 points for the 25th time this season. 

The Buffs were held three points over the final 3:46 of the first half as the Patriots went on a 11-3 to cut the lead to 37-32 at the halftime whistle. 

Grant opened the second half with five straight points for the Buffs to give him 16 on the night and push the lead to eight, 42-34. The lead would get as low as three multiple times over the next few minutes until Jordan Collins connected on his first 3-pointer of the game at 11:08 to make it 51-45 in favor of the visitors.

The lead would reach double figures for the third time two minutes later, 57-47, on back-to-back 3-pointers from Grant. Murray would cap off the 9-0 run for the Buffs with his only three of the evening before the Patriots countered with a 5-0 run of their own to make it 60-52. 

It was a six-point game, 66-60, with less than two minutes left in regulation before Eric Mosley converted an old-fashioned 3-point play to give the Buffs a nine-point cushion. Murray scored the final four points of the game from the charity stripe to push the Buffs winning streak to 17 games. 

Grant would finish with a game-high 25 points going 9-of-17 from the floor and 4-of-7 from 3-point range to go along with five rebounds and two assists. Murray chipped in 20 points including going 9-of-10 from the charity stripe while tying a career-high with nine rebounds. 

WT plays its final road game of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Texas A&M-Commerce. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the TAMUC Fieldhouse.