SEGUIN â€" The Texas Lutheran men's basketball team got 22 second-half points from Jordan Kouremetis, but it wasn't enough Saturday afternoon in a 97-85 home loss against No. 25 Colorado College inside Memorial Gymnasium.
 
Kouremetis (San Antonio, Texas) finished with a career-high 28 points and was a big reason the Bulldogs were able to hang with the nationally-ranked Tigers. He knocked down 7-of-11 shots in the second half, including 4-of-8 from behind the arc. He shot 6-of-12 from behind the arc for the game.
 
It seemed every time the Bulldogs were in danger of falling behind by double digits in the second half, Kouremetis or Garrett Wilkins, who finished with 16 points and seven assists, would create a play to keep TLU in the game.
 
The Bulldogs battled back form a seven or eight-point deficit several times in the second half and eventually took the lead on a Wilkins jumper with a little over eight minutes to go.  They continued to hold a two-point advantage with 7:16 to go, but that would be the final time they would lead as the Tigers scored 12 straight points to take control of the game late.
 
The loss was Texas Lutheran's eighth straight. The Bulldogs' record dropped to 5-10 on the year and 0-5 in SCAC play, while Colorado College improved to 10-3 and 4-1 in the SCAC.
 
Down the stretch, the Tigers' difference maker was Ryan Milne. The senior played all 40 minutes for Colorado College, scoring 28 points. Despite the gaudy scoring numbers though, late in the game it was his playmaking ability that mattered. He finished with 12 assists â€" a number of which came late as he continually found teammates for layups.
 
Saturday was a day for offense for both teams. The Bulldogs' offense was clicking on all cylinders on their way to a season-high 55.4 percent shooting day from the field. They also shot 47 percent from three-point land, also their best mark of the season.
 
Unfortunately for Texas Lutheran, the Colorado College was up to the task of matching the Bulldogs hot day, shooting 54 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range.
 
With both teams shooting so well all day, one of the big differences came in the battle on the glass. The Bulldogs were outrebounded 32-27 for the game with the Tigers able to snag nine offensive rebounds compared to three for TLU. Those offensive rebounds paid dividends. The Tigers notched eight second-chance points compared to just two for the Bulldogs.
 
Wilkins (Austin, Texas) was a catalyst for the Bulldog offense, tying his career high with those seven assists. Five of those assists came in the first half.
 
Troy Griffith (San Antonio, Texas) also scored in double figures, pouring in 12 points to go along with six rebounds. Robert Watson Jr. chipped in eight points and six boards, while Thomas Verm scored seven points. Joseph Richardson and Donte McGee both scored six points.
 
The Bulldogs will look to continue their hot shooting on the road in their next contest. They will face off against Centenary at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24 before taking on Austin College at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26.