MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's basketball team dropped its season opener 88-80 to the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin) on Sunday at Skyhawk Arena.
 
Freshman Xavier McDaniel Jr. led UTRGV (0-1) with 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Sophomore Antonio Green scored 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-9 from behind the arc, with three steals. Junior Nick Dixon scored 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting with seven rebounds and three assists.
 
Jacolby Mobley led UT Martin (1-1) with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-8 from behind the arc, plus 4-of-5 from the line, with five rebounds and four assists. Fatodd Lewis scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-5 from behind the arc, with five rebounds. Kedar Edwards had a double-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Matthew Butler scored 14 points with four rebounds.
 
McDaniel hit a free throw, a jumper, a layup and a three to help UTRGV jump out to an 8-7 lead over the opening four minutes. Mobley responded with back-to-back threes, and then Lewis and Chandler Rowe each hit a three as UT Martin went on a 14-0 run to go up 21-8 three minutes later.
 
UTRGV climbed within 23-15 on a McDaniel three and then 31-24 on a layup by junior Adonis Rwabigwi with 7:31 remaining in the first half, but UT Martin followed with an 11-3 run to go up 42-27 on a Lews layup four and a half minutes later.
 
UTRGV trailed 52-36 early in the first half, but a McDaniel jumper sparked a 14-2 run to bring UTRGV within 54-50 with 15:24 left.
 
UTRGV got as close as three at 56-53 on a McDaniel three-point play two minutes later, but UT Martin responded with an 18-8 run to go up 74-61.
 
UTRGV went on one more run, outscoring UT Martin 10-1 over a two-minute span to pull within 75-71, but UT Martin responded with an 8-2 run to push the game out of reach.
 
UTRGV is back in action Monday at 7 p.m. at Memphis.

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