DALLAS – A low-scoring first half proved too difficult to overcome as University of North Texas at Dallas men's basketball fell 69-65 against Mid-America Christian on Thursday night at Ellis Davis Field House. Held to 22 points at halftime, the Trailblazers made up ground in the second half, tying the game at 40 with around 11 minutes left. MACU extended the lead back to near double figures the rest of the way as each attempt of a comeback by the Trailblazers was stopped short. Credit to the home team for not giving up, as a trey by junior Daniel Sohn (Aledo, Texas) made it a 64-60 game with 26 seconds left, but the Evangels executed all free throws to put the game out of reach.
 
The loss is a season worst four games, as the Trailblazers slide moved them to a 7-10 record and 4-10 mark in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Mid-America Christian swept the season series and improved to 12-5 overall and 8-5 in conference play. Both decisions between these teams were by four points or less.
 
A trio of players eclipsed double-digits for the Trailblazers led by junior Greg Crawford (Houston, Texas) with his 11th double-double. His double-digit scoring streak remains intact in all 17 contests, while the double-double is his first since starting the 2025 year against Southwestern Christian at home. Sohn continued his historic stretch of double-digit scoring with 18 points, as he tallied 15 points from behind the three-point arch. Sohn shot 5-of-6 from downtown, as he made a career-high from there. Senior Darion Jones (Austin, Texas) returned to the lineup and chipped in 15 points and swiped a personal-best four steals.
 
The Trailblazers jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead with a big help from Jones' presence on the floor. His energy helped the team play quicker and force turnovers with steals or just creating an errant pass or travel. A few timely three-pointers by Sohn and Crawford helped keep the Trailblazers ahead by four through the first five minutes of play. Another trifecta, this time by senior Ashton Howard (Cedar Hill, Texas) lifted UNTD to its greatest lead of the game (17-11) with barely above 11 to go before break.
 
A familiar cold spell hit the Trailblazers consecutive games at home, with the last outing them going over seven minutes without a field goal. That same situation occurred as Mid-America Christian regained the lead on a triple from Juwan White with 5:16 left. A free throw by Crawford snapped the 8-0 streak, as both sides struggled finding the bottom of the net. From 11:08 to 7:51, the lid was airtight as MACU did not begin its run to erase the deficit from there on a layup by White.
 
A Howard jumper and backend of two free throws by Crawford tied the game at 21 with about three to go. The next six points went to the Evangels and after a Howard free throw, they would nail a trey at the buzzer to close the frame on a 9-1 run.
 
The lead for the Evangels ballooned to 10 a minute into the next stanza. Sohn had a three and a layup by Jones made it a six-point deficit. As sides traded points, eventually another trey by Sohn reduced the score to 38-34 about three and a half minutes in. Jones followed with the next basket two minutes later to bring it to 38-36. MACU answered with a basket, but baskets by Johnson and a tip-in by Jones tied the game at 40 just before the midway point. The lead never exchanged hands, but the Trailblazers forced another tie before the Evangels rattled the next nine points with a three-point play highlighting the change in momentum.
 
With five and a half to play, Crawford got an offensive rebound and tipped in the basket to cut a nine-point gap to seven (53-46). A few plays later Crawford sank three free throws to cut the margin to five (55-50). He had a block on the next play, but the Evangels gained two second chance opportunities and countered with a three-point play to neutralize the rally. The spread reached 10 a few times with the final time being 1:37. Sohn tried to will back UNTD late a third straight game as he has been lethal from downtown recently. He put down two with a turnover by the Evangels in between in the last 42 seconds of the game to make it a 64-60 game. A quick foul led to MACU making two free throws and 22 seconds remaining. The Trailblazers lost the ball and were unable to try and reduce the gap from there. A three by junior Sergio McClain (Peoria, Ill.) finished the scoring and had the four-point result.
 
The Trailblazers shot 21-of-51 from the floor but tied a season-high eight made three-pointers. They were 15-for-25 at the free throw line. They turned the ball over 18 times, which was one off from matching a conference-most this season. The team won the rebounding battle 35-32, and held a 9-6 edge on fastbreak points, which included 7-4 in the second. UNTD also swiped nine steals compared to four by its opponent.
 
Mid-America Christian held slight edges on points off turnovers (15-11) and second chance points (10-7), while dominating inside the post with a 38-22 advantage. The Evangels shot 43.6 percent (24-55) overall and 4-of-16 from three. They made 17 free throws on 26 tries.   
 
White led all players with 21 points, while Keeshawn Mason and Josiah Fulcher tossed in 13 each. Quentin Woodson had seven points and eight rebounds.
 
UNT Dallas plays two games over the next four days on the road against Oklahoma City and Science and Arts. Tip-off at OCU is Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and at Science and Arts on Monday at 3:00 p.m.