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EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's basketball team fell to Utah Valley University's (UVU) 84-76 on Thursday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
Senior Nick Dixon led UTRGV (10-10, 2-2 WAC) with 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting, nine rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Xavier McDaniel Jr. scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting with four rebounds. Junior Terry Winn finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
 
Conner Toolson led UVU (15-5, 4-0 WAC) with 23 points while hitting six three-pointers. Kenneth Ogbe scored 17 points with six rebounds. Akolda Manyang posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
 
UVU took an early lead, and UTRGV pulled within 18-14 on a layup and a three by Dixon six minutes into the game.
 
UVU scored the next eight points to go up 25-14, but UTRGV climbed back to within five at 27-22 on a jumper by senior McAllen-native Moe McDonald.
 
Ogbe hit two layups and a free throw as part of a 9-0 run to give UVU its largest lead of the half at 36-22 at the 6:27 mark.
 
That's when UTRGV caught fire, hitting nine of its next 13 shots, and forcing four turnovers to keep UVU to 3-of-6 shooting during a 24-12 run that saw UTRGV pull within 48-46. Dixon punctuated the run with a three-point play in the final minute of the half.
 
Toolson responded with two three-pointers to power a 13-2 run that saw UVU go up 63-50 early in the second half.
 
UTRGV followed with a 16-8 run, capped by a Dixon three, to pull within 71-66 with 5:21 remaining, but that's as close as UTRGV got.
 
UTRGV is back in action on Saturday at 7 p.m. against Seattle U at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. The first 200 fans in attendance will receive WAC rally towels. Doors open at 6.

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