Utah Tech University freshman guard Tennessee Rainwater (left) and junior guard Noa Gonsalves defend against UTRGV redshirt junior guard Roy Jones III during tonight’s game at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus. The Vaqueros lost 79-74 to the Trailblazers. Angel Ballesteros/THE RIDER
The UTRGV Men’s Basketball Team lost to Utah Tech University at home tonight, 79-74, setting its Western Athletic Conference record at 2-17 and 6-24 overall.
Utah Tech University now has a record of 7-12 in conference and 11-19 overall.
Previously, the Vaqueros lost to Utah Tech 81-64 during an away game on Feb. 1.
This penultimate game had an electrifying start in the first half with a lead of 10 points for the Vaqueros.
About midway into the half, UTRGV had a 21-11 lead.
The Trailblazers made an effort to narrow the gap but the Vaqueros maintained a steady 34-20 lead with about five minutes left in the first half.
Utah Tech only managed to shrink their deficit to 10 points, ending the half, 45-35.
Midway into the second half, the Vaqueros stood with a 64-56 lead.
With five minutes left in the game, the Trailblazers managed to narrow the gap and even the lead by two points, 67-65.
Things came down to the wire when Utah Tech managed to maintain its small lead with one minute left.
With less than a minute left on the clock, junior guard Sherman Brashear made a three-pointer and junior guard Elijah Elliot made four free throws respectively, putting UTRGV at a one-point deficit of 75-74.
Unfortunately, the game ended with a final score of 79-74.
Head coach Matt Figger said the team gave a good effort.
Junior guard Sherman Brashear leaps into the air and shoots the ball toward the hoop during tonight’s game at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus. Angel Ballesteros/THE RIDER
“We couldn’t ask more of them for about 30 minutes,” Figger said. “They were there for 30 minutes. … We got tired in the second half. … We were good offensively in the first half, second half.”
Elliot led the team with 26 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Figger said the team was doing well offensively, not just in the game, but the previous games as they had seven players with injuries.
“I give my hats off to Utah Tech, but my kids fought,” he said. “I couldn’t ask more out of some of these guys. … When we needed to stop the bleeding, we weren’t able to. Guys [were] just fatiguing and shutting down.”
Brashear hit a career-high 24 points with five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Figger explained that having that many injured players leaves the rest of the team playing upwards of 30 minutes during games, with Elliot playing the full 40 minutes and Brashear playing 37.
The coach said Brashear and Elliot set the tone early.
“They came out with a lot of energy, a lot of spark,” Figger said. “They got some steals. They were able to get us a lead. Unfortunately, we couldn’t hang on.”
Senior forward Daylen Williams put up 15 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and two assists with 35 minutes of game time.
The Vaqueros are currently last place in the WAC Men’s Basketball Standings.
The team will play its last game of the season against Southern Utah University at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus.
Junior guard Elijah Elliott attempts a 2-pointer against Utah Tech University junior guard Beon Riley during tonight’s game at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus. Angel Ballesteros/THE RIDER
