DENTON – Down 12 in the opening minutes, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's basketball team outscored the University of North Texas (UNT) 73-49 over the final 33:11 to come from behind and win 75-63 on Monday at The Super Pit.
 
Senior Nick Dixon led UTRGV (3-2) with 27 points and four rebounds. Sophomore Lesley Varner Jr. scored 13 points with four rebounds and two assists. Senior McAllen-native Moe McDonald scored 12 points with five rebounds and two assists.
 
Ryan Woolridge led UNT (2-2) with 18 points. A.J. Lawson scored 10 points with 11 rebounds.
 
UNT scored the first nine points of the game to jump out to a 14-2 lead. UTRGV's offense got going with 13:11 remaining in the first half when freshman Javon Levi hit a three-pointer.
 
That was the start of a 20-6 run that saw UTRGV tie the game at 19 on a dunk by junior Johnny Crnogorac and then take the lead at 22-20 on a McDonald three-pointer 33 seconds later.
 
UNT closed the first half on a 9-2 run to take a 35-30 lead and then pushed its lead to 44-34 early in the second half.
 
McDonald and Dixon responded by bookending a 21-6 run with three-point plays as UTRGV again rallied back, this time to take a 55-50 lead.
 
UNT was still within five at 59-54 with 5:27 remaining, but Dixon scored eight-straight points on a layup, a three-point play and a three-pointer to push the game out of reach.
 
UTRGV is back in action on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at 2017 NIT Runner-Up Georgia Tech.

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