LOGAN, Utah – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's basketball fell to the Idaho State University Bengals 76-64 on Wednesday at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum to close out the Global Sports Hoops Showcase.
 
Graduate student Dakota Slaughter paced the Vaqueros (3-10) with his first double-double of the season after scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Freshman Antonio Green added 15 points with six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
The Bengals (4-7) had three players in double figures with Kyle Ingram leading all scorers with 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Geno Luzcando chipped in 17 points with five rebounds and Ethan Telfair scored 15 points and dished out nine assists.
 
Green gave the Vaqueros the early lead with a three-pointer that made it 3-2 and then after back-to-back buckets by Ali Bey-Faruq, J.J. Thompson tied the game at five after knocking down a jumper with 18:36 left in the half.
 
The Bengals then went on a 5-0 run that was capped by a layup by Ingram. Later in the half, Slaughter knocked down a three-pointer that tied the game at 18 and then he later assisted on an Ot Elmore three-pointer that gave the Vaqueros the 23-21 lead with 7:36 left to play in the first half.
 
Idaho State regained the lead after a three-pointer by Telfair and continued to extend their lead with five more unanswered points to take the 29-23 lead with 4:51 left in the half. Slaughter stopped the run with a three-pointer and then after Green hit a three-pointer of his own, it was Slaughter who drilled another three-pointer to give the Vaqueros the 31-29 lead.
 
Slaughter finished the half with 12 points and seven rebounds as UTRGV took the 36-31 lead into halftime.
 
In the second half, the Bengals got within two after a layup by Luzcando that made it 40-38 but senior Shaquille Hines scored five of the next seven points for the Vaqueros to extend their lead to 47-41 with 15:01 left in the game.
 
The Bengals' Erik Nakken hit a three-pointer to get them within one at 51-50 but the Vaqueros kept pushing back as junior Christopher Ikuenobe knocked down a jump shot and then Green hit a three to make it 56-50 Vaqueros with 10:54 to play. Idaho State answered with a 7-0 run to take the lead and then pushed the score to 70-61 to put the game away.
 
The Vaqueros continue their road trip when they take on the University of Texas El Paso on December 29 at 8:05 p.m.

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