KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's basketball team shot a season-best .526 from behind the arc to beat UMKC 73-61 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) opener on Saturday at Municipal Auditorium.
 
UTRGV (9-8, 1-0 WAC) finished 10-for-19 from behind the arc, marking the third time UTRGV has hit 10 or more three-pointers this season. The .526 shooting percentage was UTRGV's highest from behind the arc since Dec. 29, 2016, when UTRGV shot .528 (19-for-36) against Our Lady of the Lake, and UTRGV's highest against a WAC opponent since Jan. 25, 2013, when UTRGV shot .533 (8-for-15) at New Mexico State.
 
Senior Nick Dixon led UTRGV with 24 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including a career-best 5-of-5 from behind the arc plus 7-for-7 from the line with five rebounds and three assists. Senior McAllen-native Moe McDonald scored 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-5 from behind the arc. Freshman Javon Levi scored a career-high seven points with a career-high nine rebounds and six assists.
 
Broderick Robinson led UMKC (5-12, 0-1 WAC) with 20 points and five rebounds. Jordan Giles and Isaiah Ross each finished with 12 points.
 
The score was tied at 8 after eight minutes when McDonald and sophomore Xavier McDaniel Jr. made back-to-back threes to put UTRGV up six.
 
Then, with UTRGV's lead cut to two late in the half, McDonald hit two jumpers and a three-pointer to fuel a 13-3 run to put UTRGV up 31-19 at intermission.
 
UTRGV's opened the second half on a 7-2 run to go up 17 at 38-21 on a jumper by junior Johnny Crnogorac. UTRGV still led by 17 at 40-23 after a Levi jumper before UMKC went on a 15-3 to pull within five.
 
Dixon responded with back-to-back three-pointers as part of an 8-0 run to put UTRGV up 51-38.
 
UMKC got as close as 57-51 in the final minutes, but Dixon made five free throws and two three-pointers down the stretch to seal the victory.
 
UTRGV is back in action Thursday at 9 p.m. at defending WAC Champion CSU Bakersfield.

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