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UTRGV Gets Second Straight Win Over UMKC, 75-63

5 years 1 month 3 weeks ago Sunday, February 03 2019 Feb 3, 2019 February 03, 2019 10:59 PM February 03, 2019 in Sports

EDINBURG (UTRGV) - The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's basketball team made a season-high 11 three-pointers for the second game in a row to beat Kansas City 75-63 on Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.

 

UTRGV (12-12, 4-4 WAC) shot a season-best 64.7 (11-for-17) percent from downtown, including 72.7 percent (8-for-11) in the second half.

 

This is the first time UTRGV has hit at least 10 three-pointers in back-to-back games since Dec. 29-31, 2016, when UTRGV hit a combined 30 three-pointers against Our Lady of the Lake and Texas A&M-Kingsville. Earlier in the same month, UTRGV hit at least 10 three-pointers in three-straight games against NCAA Division I competition, with 10 at Portland on Dec. 5, 13 against Texas State on Dec. 7, and 12 against North Florida on Dec. 12.

 

This is the first time UTRGV has reached double-figures in three-pointers in back-to-back WAC games and the first time UTRGV has done so in conference play since Jan. 19-21 2012, when UTRGV knocked down a combined 20 three-pointers at Chicago State and NJIT.

 

In this game, junior Jordan Jackson led UTRGV with a career-high 22 points on a career-best 6-of-8 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers, and a career-best 8-of-8 shooting from the line. Sophomore Greg Bowie II went a career-high 5-for-7 from behind the arc for 15 points. Graduate student Tyson Smith scored 13 points while hitting a career-high tying three three-pointers. JuniorLesley Varner II finished with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Sophomore Javon Levi dished out a career-high tying 12 assists for the second game in a row, grabbed a game-high five steals, scored eight points, and had four rebounds. Senior Ndene Gueye grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds while dishing out a career-high three assists.

 

Brandon McKissic led Kansas City (8-15, 3-5 WAC) with 13 points. Danny Dixon finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

 

UTRGV trailed by as much as five and was down 40-36 early in the second half. Jackson, Smith and Bowie responded with three-pointers to spark a 13-2 run that saw UTRGV go up 49-42.

 

Then, after Kansas City pulled within four midway through the half, Jackson hit four free throws and Bowie nailed three threes to power a 13-2 run to give UTRGV a 64-49 lead.

 

UTRGV led by as much as 18, going up 71-53 on a Varner three-point play with 4:11 remaining.

 

Kansas City led 5-2 in the opening minutes, but a Smith four-point play capped an 8-1 run to put UTRGV up 10-6.

 

Kansas City scored nine of the next 11 points to take its first lead at 15-12, but threes by Varner and Bowie helped UTRGV regain the lead.

 

UTRGV hit seven of its first eight shots, including each of its first three three-point attempts.

 

UTRGV led 20-17 after nine minutes before three-straight baskets put Kansas City up four. UTRGV scored the next seven points, capped by a Jackson alley-oop to go up 27-24 before Kansas City went on a 9-1 run to take its largest lead of the game at 33-28.

 

UTRGV is back in action on Thursday at 8 p.m. at Grand Canyon.

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