Texas Border Business
SAN ANTONIO – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men’s basketball team beat the UTSA Roadrunners 68-50 on Friday at the Convocation Center.
Graduate student Marek Nelson led the Vaqueros (5-7) with 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Sophomore BJ Simmons scored 12 points on a trio of three-pointers with three assists. Graduate student Xavier Johnson scored 11 points while hitting three three-pointers. Graduate student Mike Adewunmi scored eight points with seven rebounds. Junior Ricky “Doc” Nelson also scored eight points. Freshman RayQuan Taylor scored six points with nine rebounds. Freshman Donte Houston Jr. scored six points with eight rebounds.
Jacob Germany led the Roadrunners (6-5) with 16 points and nine rebounds. Cedrick Alley Jr. scored 15 points with seven rebounds and three assists.
Taylor opened the game with back-to-back jumpers as the Vaqueros jumped out to a 13-4 lead.
Johnson hit a trio of three-pointers as the Vaqueros extended their lead to 21-8 with 10:51 remaining in the first half.
The Roadrunners closed the first half on an 18-6 run to pull within 27-26 and then opened the second half on an 8-1 run to go up 34-28.
Johnson responded with a jumper as the Vaqueros scored six-straight points. Then, with the Roadrunners up 37-34, the Vaqueros scored 14-straight points as part of a 23-2 run to take control up 57-39 lead with 4:53 remaining.
UTRGV closes out non-conference play on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Southwestern Adventist at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at UTRGVTickets.com. The party starts in Vaquero Village at 5:30 p.m. Those unable to attend the game in person can watch in the United States on ESPN+ or internationally on the WAC Digital Network.
