EDMOND, Okla. - Marco Foster hit six triples on the evening, but the rest of the Eagles combined to go 0-for-15 from beyond the arc as UT Tyler's nationally-ranked three-point defense proved to be the difference as Oklahoma Christian fell Friday night, 79-75.

Foster ended the 2025 opener with a career-high 28 points on 9-of-18 (50.0 percent) shooting from the floor, including going 6-of-12 (50%) from deep and 4-of-6 (66.7%) from the free-throw line. Along with his scoring output, the Lancaster, Texas, native recorded five rebounds, two steals and one block.

Bryce Kennedy was the only other Eagle in double figures, tallying 13 points on 5-of-9 (55.6 percent) shooting. Javon Grant filled up the stat sheet with eight points, six rebounds and four assists.

Both teams shot an equal percentage from the floor - 44.3 percent (31-of-70) for Tyler compared to 41.3 percent (26-of-63) for OC - but the Patriots found the edge from behind the three-point line, knocking down eight of their 23 attempts for 34.8 percent with the Eagles seeing just six of their 27 attempts (22.2 percent) go down.

After UT Tyler scored the first basket of the game, Oklahoma Christian reclaimed a lead that it would hold for the large majority of the first half, building an eight-point lead at one point through the opening period.

With OC seeing its largest lead of the game at the 7:32 mark, 27-19, the Patriots closed the half on an 18-8, during which UTT went 4-of-5 from long range. Tyler carried that momentum into second half, while the Eagles struggled to score through the early part of the game's second stanza.

Oklahoma Christian did not score its first field-goal of the second half until the 15:15 mark, which by that point the Patriots built their own eight-point lead. Despite OC tying it up a couple more times, the Eagles were never able to break through for the remainder of play.

With OC trailing by 12 with just under two minutes remaining, Foster nearly single-handedly brought the maroon-and-gold all the way back, scoring 11 points in 42 seconds. But UTT made free-throws when it counted, withstanding the heroic effort for the four-point victory.

Oklahoma Christian (5-6, 2-4 LSC) will complete this current five-game home stand Sunday, Jan. 5 when No. 10 DBU comes to the Payne Athletic Center for a 3 p.m. tip.