ARLINGTON – A quintet of double-figure scorers for the UT Arlington men's basketball team easily propelled the Mavericks to a 109-48 win over visiting Dallas Christian College Thursday night inside the College Park Center.
 
Redshirt junior David Azore led all scorers with 15 points in 15 minutes, and junior Fredelin De La Cruz recorded his third double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-best 10 rebounds to pace the UTA offensive attack.
 
True freshman Brandyn Talbot netted a career-best 13 points, while junior Jordan Phillips and classmate Shahada Wells each tallied 12 for the Mavs, who connected at a 51-percent rate (37-72) from the floor for the game, including a 58-percent clip (22-38) in the 2nd half.
 
The 109 points are the 3rd-most this century by the Mavs, and the 61-point margin of victory is the 4th-largest in program history and widest since 1991 (more info later in this release).
 
UTA used a 19-0 run courtesy of seven different scorers in the early stages of the contest to turn a 2-2 game into a 21-2 lead with 13 minutes remaining in the 1st half.
 
The Mavs methodically kept it going on both ends of the floor, resulting in a 51-18 halftime lead – the 2nd-straight game they have scored 50+ in the opening 20 minutes. UTA converted 16 of 17 attempts (94 percent) from the free-throw line in the 1st half, in addition to connecting at a 44-percent (15-34) rate from the floor while holding DCC to just 24 percent (7-29).
 
UTA commenced the 2nd half with several highlight-reel plays on the offensive and defensive ends, and the advantage on the scoreboard eventually swelled to the biggest of the night at 65 (109-44) before settling for the 61-point final differential.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• UTA improves to 3-4 on the year, while the contest counted as an exhibition for Dallas Christian and the Crusaders remain officially at 2-1 on the season.
• Sophomore Sam Griffin dished out a career-best nine assists against no turnovers as the Mavs finished with a season-best 25 assists in the game.
• Azore registered three thefts as part of a season-high 15 for UTA. He also passed out five assists with no giveaways as part of a balanced night.
• The Mavs recorded the 8th-best free-throw percentage (minimum 20 makes) in program history by going 23-27 for 85.2 percent.
• UTA head coach Chris Ogden used his 4th different starting lineup of the year and third in three games: Griffin, Wells, Azore, Phillips and De La Cruz.
• Ogden utilized his entire bench with the exception of Nicolas Elame (9.7 ppg) to rest; 15 of the other 16 Mavs each logged between 5-22 minutes and every single one of those 15 scored multiple points.
• Redshirt sophomore Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu made his Maverick debut when he checked in coming out of the under-12 media timeout in the 1st half. He recorded his first points on a patented dunk early in the 2nd half and finished with seven points.
• True freshman Antonio Romanelli scored his first-career points on a 3-pointer late in the game; he played eight total minutes and also secured four rebounds.
• Other UTA scorers: Lazaro Rojas (8), Griffin (7), Grayson Carter (6), Carson Bischoff (6), Patrick Mwamba (3), McKade Marquis (3) and Davis Steelman (2).
• UTA attempted 38 3-pointers – tied for the 6th most in program history (record: 42 at South Alabama on Jan. 16, 2016).
• The Mavs posted a +29 rebound margin (55-26) – the 8th-largest differential in program history (record: 36 on two occasions).
• UTA held the following advantages in specialty points: off turnovers (35-8), in the paint (42-18), second-chance (25-7) and fastbreak (34-6).
• UTA has had five players in double-figure scoring in consecutive games.
• More info after the photo gallery.

 
THIS AND THAT

• The 61-point final margin has only been bested by the following differentials in program history: 69 (154-85) vs. Huston-Tillotson (Nov. 29, 1990); 66 (130-64) vs. Huston-Tillotson (Nov. 28, 1991) and 63 (149-86) vs. the University of Dallas (Dec. 8, 1990).
• UTA registered 111 points against Howard Payne on Nov. 13, 2013, and 110 points at Texas State on Feb. 3, 2007 – those are the only games since 1998 that the Mavs have scored more points than tonight.
• This was the first-ever meeting between UTA and Dallas Christian on the hardwood.
• DCC is a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) and is located in Farmers Branch.
• The game was just announced on Tuesday; due to the short turnaround time and the university's virtual commencement taking place simultaneously, no spectators were permitted and the contest was not video streamed.

 
NEXT UP
The Mavericks are slated to round out the 2020 calendar year against Howard Payne at the College Park Center on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 6 p.m. Fans will be permitted at that game, and all scheduled future Mav home games this season.
 
The Yellow Jackets are officially 0-4 on the season, which does not include a pair of exhibition setbacks at Division-I members Abilene Christian and Sam Houston State.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more engaging and personal content, be sure to follow the men's basketball program on Twitter (@UTAMavsMBB), Instagram (@UTAMavsMBB) and Facebook (/UTAMavsMBB).