RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's basketball team got the 2026-27 season started with a 30-point victory on Monday and now looks forward to its first test as the Prairie View A&M (PVAMU) Panthers, a 2026 NCAA Tournament Team and the reigning SWAC Champions, visit the UTRGV Fieldhouse at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. 
 
The Vaqueros (1-0) are 3-1 all-time against the Panthers (2-0), but these squads have played each other just once in the 2000s. The last meeting was on Nov. 14, 2018 in Edinburg, and UTRGV captured a 70-57 win. The only PVAMU win in the series came in Feb. 1967, a 98-84 contest in Prairie View. 
 
UTRGV heads into this one after opening the season at home with an 81-51 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville. This will be the first Div. I contest for both teams. The Panthers come down to Edinburg riding a two-game winning streak after victories over Paul Quinn (86-65) and College of Biblical Studies (103-90) to start the year. 
 
PVAMU was a First Four team in the 2026 NCAA Tournament after winning four in a row to claim the SWAC tournament title as the #8 seed. The Panthers won their NCAA First Four game, 67-55, over Lehigh to earn a spot in the first round, where they fell to #1-seed Florida. 
 
Even though the Vaqueros won big in the season opener, head coach Brandon Chambers and Co. weren't pleased with the performance. UTRGV forced 21 turnovers, recording 12 steals and seven blocks to score 20 points off turnovers, but also gave the ball away 20 times of their own. The Vaqueros won the rebounding battle, but the margin (48-44) was not enough to meet the team's goals. They were outscored 17-11 down the stretch, losing the "six-minute game" as they turned to the bench. 
 
UTRGV expects a gritty game from the Panthers and has been working to clean up the miscues from Game 1. Chambers led a long, detailed film session Wednesday, and the players are taking the feedback to heart. The Vaqueros are eager to take on a team with NCAA Tournament experience and continue to build momentum ahead of a game against the Pac 12's Texas State back at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on Tuesday. 
 
Fans can purchase tickets at UTRGVTickets.com. All tickets for UTRGV Athletics home events will use NFC scanning, therefore screenshots will not grant entry. Fans can save and access tickets for entry via Apple or Google Wallet or by logging into your account at UTRGVTickets.com.
 
Fans are encouraged to visit RallyTheValley.com for everything they need to know about attending home basketball games. If you're unable to attend, the game will be streamed on ESPN+ domestically and Southland International for international fans. 

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