GEORGETOWN, TX -- In what made for a SCAC slugfest, Texas Lutheran threw the last punch, outlasting Southwestern on the road 66-59 Tuesday evening in the Robertson Center.

Texas Lutheran improves to 5-7 and 3-1 in SCAC play while Southwestern moves to 5-10 (2-4 SCAC).

Riley Fornerette (Surprise, Ariz./Dysart) led the Bulldogs with 17 points - shooting four-of-six from deep -, three rebounds, and three assists off the bench.

Jamir Mason (Pearland/St. Thomas Episcopal) was the second Bulldog in double figures with 12 points adding seven rebounds and team-high four assists while Sebastian Andrade tallied 10 points, a team-high nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

On a night that saw the Bulldogs struggle from the field, the Bulldogs won a game that saw them trail for a hefty portion with their defense and by making their free throws. Texas Lutheran frustrated Southwestern into 13.3% shooting from three while forcing 12 turnovers compared to the Bulldogs five. The Bulldogs also won the battle at the free throw line - a point of emphasis for Bulldogs coach Mike Wacker. The Bulldogs made a season-high 90.9% from the charity stripe - shooting 20-22 from the line throughout the night including crucial free throws down the stretch from Sebastian Andrade. The Pirates shot a decisive 58.3% from the free throw line.

Shooting just 25% from the field in the opening half, the Bulldogs found themselves behind for the majority of the first half. The game was tightly contested until an 11-4 run from the Pirates gave the Pirates a 39-28 lead in the opening moments of the second half. The Bulldogs would trail by as many as 12 points in the second half, but a 5-0 run at the 5:30 mark put the Bulldogs within striking distance before taking their first lead of the second half with 1:25 remaining courtesy of two free throws from DJ Ardoin (Houston/Pearland) - who went six-of-six from the line on the night. The Bulldogs would close the game by sinking six free throws in addition to a layup from Fornerette to seal the deal on their come from behind victory.

The Bulldogs will return home for their first home game of 2022 this Friday, Jan. 21, as they face the University of Dallas Crusaders for the first time this season. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM at Memorial Gymnasium. All streaming and stat links can be found on tlubulldogs.com.