Photo Gallery

EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's basketball team fell to defending WAC Tournament Champion CSU Bakersfield 88-81 on Thursday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
Junior Mike Hoffman led UTRGV (9-11, 1-2 WAC) with a career-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including a career-high tying 3-of-6 from behind the arc. Junior Nick Dixon scored 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 2-of-4 from behind the arc, with six assists. Freshman Xavier McDaniel Jr. posted his first double-double with 17 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Sophomore Antonio Green scored 14 points while hitting three three-pointers, raising his NCAA-leading total to 81.
 
Matt Smith led CSU Bakersfield (11-6, 2-0 WAC) with 23 points and nine rebounds. Dedrick Basile scored 19 points with five rebounds. Jaylin Airington finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
 
The game was tied at 15 after eight minutes when Hoffman used a three-pointer and a jumper to power a 7-0 run and put UTRGV up 22-15.
 
CSU Bakersfield responded by hitting nine of its next 17 shots to close the half on a 27-9 run and go up 42-31.
 
With UTRGV down 44-33 early in the second half, McDaniel made a jumper and then Dixon and Green made threes to bring UTRGV within three.
 
CSU Bakersfield pushed its lead back out to nine at 52-43 on a three by Damiyne Durham before UTRGV went on a 10-2 run to pull within 54-53 on a pair of Hoffman free throws.
 
UTRGV tied the game at 58 on a Dixon three and then regained the lead at 70-69 on a McDaniel three with 7:09 remaining.
 
UTRGV still led by one at 72-71 after a pair of McDaniel free throws, but Smith hit a layup and two free throws to spark a 10-0 run to put CSU Bakersfield up 81-72. CSU Bakersfield led for the rest of the game.
 
UTRGV hosts Grand Canyon on Saturday at 7 p.m. in a game that will be televised nationally on American Sports Network. It's Youth Night, featuring free general admission for kids ages 13 and under. Doors open at 6.

Support UTRGV Men's Basketball | Become a Fan on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Follow us on Instagram | Follow us on YouTube