Midwestern State's Quincy Sarpy poured in a game-high 20 points while added seven rebounds and five assists in Saturday night's season opener at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.

But Dallas Baptist quickly erased a nine-point MSU halftime lead, then used a 12-1 to take command and cruise to an 88-83 win over the Mustangs.

Jordan McGowan and Dean Pele combined for 35 points off of the bench as the Patriots, who improved to 1-0, controlled the second half 54-40 after the Mustangs led 43-34 at the half.

The pair combined for nine points during Dallas Baptist's decisive run in the second half as Pele sparked the outburst with a 3-pointer before McGowan connected on a pair of free throws and sandwiched a layup and a jumper around a fast-break layup by Eddie Gloviak as the Patriots expanded a one-point advantage into a 68-58 lead with 8:24 to play.

McGowan, a 6-5 freshman from Kingwood, finished 17 points and seven rebounds, while Pele canned four 3-pointers on his way to a team-high 19 points while adding nine rebounds.

The Mustangs clawed back within two when Aboubakar Wandji followed Sarpy's three 3 of the night by hitting the front end of a one-and-one pull MSU to within 82-80 with 1:36 to go.

But Pele answered with a his fourth 3-pointer off the night from the left corner to push the Patriot advantage back to five.

The Mustangs took the largest lead of the night after closing the first half on a 9-1 run fueled by a layup and a 3-pointer by Phillip Homere as Midwestern led 43-34 at the half.

Sarpy led a group of four Mustangs in double figures as Nolan Richardson had 16 points and a team-high seven assists while Trajinski Grigsby and Homere had 11 points each.

Midwestern State returns to action to Tuesday night when it plays host to Hillsdale Freewill Baptist. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.