LUBBOCK – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's basketball team fell 71-46 to No. 11 Texas Tech University on Friday at United Supermarkets Arena in its final game of 2018.
 
Senior Terry Winn III led the way for UTRGV (8-7) with 17 points by going 7-of-14 from the floor. Junior Lesley Varner II added eight points with a team-high six rebounds.
 
Texas Tech (11-1) got a game-high 19 points from Jarrett Culver, who went 8-of-13 from the floor. Deshawn Corprew posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds while Tariq Owens chipped in 10 points.
 
UTRGV kept it close against Texas Tech early in the first half with both teams combining to go 14-of-19 from the floor. Winn III made three of the first seven baskets for UTRGV as he knocked down a jumper to tie it at 17-17 with 12:40 left in the first half. 
 
Sophomore Greg Bowie II converted on a four-point play after knocking down a three-pointer and making the free throw after the foul to tie it at 21-21. Texas Tech regained the lead and pushed it to 27-22 after a couple of free throws by Owens with 5:41 left in the half.
 
Winn III, who scored 12 points in the first half, later converted on a three-point play after making the basket and the free throw at 5:14 left in the first half to get UTRGV within 27-25 but Texas Tech went on an 11-2 run to give them their biggest lead of the half at 38-27 with a minute left in the half.
 
UTRGV got back-to-back buckets from Winn II and junior Lesley Varner II as Texas Tech took the 38-31 lead into halftime. 
 
Texas Tech opened the second half with back-to-back buckets by Culver and Corprew to push their lead to 43-31. After another basket by Winn III, Texas Tech went on an 11-4 run to extend its lead to 54-35.

Texas Tech put the game out of reach as they shot 58.3 percent from the floor in the second half and forced UTRGV to turn the ball over 13 times.
 
UTRGV will return to action on January 3, when it travels to California to face UC Irvine at 9 p.m.

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