UTRGV loses close conference game to Nicholls
Jose Rodriguez/ THE RIDER
The UTRGV Men’s Basketball Team (12-9, 4-6 SLC) dropped a conference matchup against the Nicholls State University Colonels (12-9, 6-4 SLC) 82-75 tonight in the Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus.
The Colonels had two players score over 20 points tonight, senior guards Robert Brown III (24 pts.) and Byron Ireland (21 pts.). Ireland’s 21-point game was coming off the bench for Nicholls.
For the Vaqueros, graduate guard DK Thorn finished with 23 points, and senior forward Kwo Agwa tallied a double-double with 14 points and 12 total rebounds (7 offensive, 5 defensive).
UTRGV Men’s Basketball head coach Kahil Fennell said that despite the tough loss, he was “proud” of the team for staying in the fight throughout the game.
“Our ability to come out and fight and our ability to stay connected and play for each other, I thought was all commendable,” Fennell said.
The Vaqueros dropped their second conference game in a row, turning the ball over 11 times and blowing a 10-point lead in the second half.
Fennell said the turnovers only compounded the Vaqueros’ issues with making defensive stops.
“Some of our best offense is predicated on us getting stops and getting out in transition and playing fast,” he said.
The opening minutes of the game saw both squads play physical basketball. After conceding a three, UTRGV went on a 7-0 run, assisted by tough Vaqueros defense, taking a 7-3 lead in the first five minutes of play.
Nicholls then proceeded to go on a 9-3 run to tie the game at 12 all. Down 16-19, Thorn hit a 3-pointer to kick off an 8-2 Vaqueros run to give them a 24-21 lead.
This lead was quickly erased by a 3-point play by Brown. Both teams traded blows until they found themselves tied at 27.
The Vaqueros then clamped down, holding Nicholls to three points in the final four minutes of the half, closing it on a 7-3 run and ahead 34-30. The first half featured five lead changes and five ties.
UTRGV opened the second half on a 5-0 run, taking a 39-32 lead, the first three-score lead held by any team tonight. The Vaqueros continued this momentum, building the lead to 10 at 47-37.
Thorn took the team scoring lead by shooting a 3-pointer that put UTRGV ahead 55-48. He added to his tally with a layup to extend it to 57-51.
Nicholls, then, brought it to a one-possession game, taking a 65-63 lead with an 11-3 run. The Colonels took advantage of a couple of Vaqueros turnovers in this process. They grew this lead to two possessions at 73-69.
UTRGV brought it down to a one-possession game, finding themselves down 78-75 with under 46 seconds remaining.
The Colonels, then, caught a break, with Brown driving to the basket on a fastbreak following a Vaqueros turnover, taking a foul and sinking both free throws to extend the lead to 81-75 with 30 seconds left.
With the game essentially iced, Brown hit a bonus free throw, cementing the final score as an 82-75 conference victory for Nicholls.
The Vaqueros will return to action Saturday in a rivalry match, taking on the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islanders at 4:30 p.m. in the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
