BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's basketball team fell to CSU Bakersfield 75-53 on Saturday at the Icardo Center.
 
Junior Nick Dixon led UTRGV (10-17, 2-8 WAC) with 16 points and three steals. Sophomore Lew Stallworth scored 11 points with four rebounds and three assists.
 
Damiyne Durham led Bakersfield (17-7, 8-1 WAC) with 17 points and four steals. Matt Smith posted a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Shon Briggs scored 12 points with nine rebounds. Jaylin Airington finished with 11 points.
 
Junior Mike Hoffman hit a jumper and a three to help UTRGV jump out to a 5-2 lead.
 
Hoffman hit another three to put UTRGV up 8-7 and then Dixon made a layup to give UTRGV its largest lead at 10-7 at the 14:15 mark of the first half. Bakersfield responded with an 8-0 run, capped by a Smith tip-in, to take the lead.
 
UTRGV kept the game close for most of the half, pulling within 23-21 on a Dixon layup with 5:20 remaining, but Bakersfield closed the half on a 17-3 run to go up 40-26.
 
UTRGV pulled wtihin 42-32 on a layup by junior Dan Kimasa early in the second half, but Bakersfield followed with an 18-4 run to push the game out of reach.
 
UTRGV kicks off its final home stand of the season when it hosts four-time defending WAC Champion New Mexico State on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in a game that will be teleivsed throughout Texas on Spectrum Sports channel 323. Doors open at 6.

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