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EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's basketball team fell to Grambling State University (GSU) 82-76 on Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
Sophomore Xavier McDaniel Jr. led UTRGV (3-4) with a career-high 28 points with 11 rebounds and two steals. Senior Nick Dixon scored 26 points with eight rebounds and three assists.
 
Ivy Smith Jr. led GSU (1-4) with 27 points, six assists and six steals. Axel Mpoyo scored 16 points with 10 rebounds. Drake Wilks finished with 11 points.
 
Dixon made a layup and McDaniel hit two free throws and a layup to help UTRGV jump out to a 6-3 lead.
 
UTRGV and GSU traded baskets from there until, with UTRGV up 13-11, a Smith jumper sparked a 7-0 run to put GSU up 18-13.
 
GSU led 21-17 with 7:38 left in the first half before McDaniel scored eight of UTRGV's next nine points as part of a 17-4 run to put UTRGV up 34-25 at halftime.
 
Senior McAllen-native Moe McDonald opened the second half with a layup to put UTRGV up 36-25, but GSU scored the next seven points as part of an 18-4 run to take a 43-40 lead.
 
UTRGV came back to tie the game at 45 on a McDonald three at the 12:02 mark.
 
UTRGV led 50-47 after a layup by junior Johnny Crnogorac with 9:26 remaining, but GSU scored the next 10 points as part of a 21-9 run to push the game out of reach.
 
UTRGV is back in action on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at SMU.

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