Timothy David / THE RIDER
The UTRGV Vaqueros’ (2-1) fell to a tight game 72-65 against the Texas State Bobcats (3-0) Tuesday at the Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus.
Head coach Brandon Chambers said in a news conference video from UTRGV Athletics the team’s performance was not the pinnacle of what the team can showcase and that the loss would be an important part of its growth throughout the season.
“You know, we felt like we let [the Rio Grande Valley] down. Hopefully, you know, the Valley saw our fight and I just told [the team,] you know, ‘Finish the game out the right way. Let’s fight till the end and see where the chips lead,’” Chambers said.
Redshirt junior guard Jace Posey led the Vaqueros with 15 points and five rebounds.
Senior guard B.B Knight made the defense with 10 points and two steals, while redshirt senior guard Always Wright added nine points.
The game started competitively, with Bobcat senior forward Paul Djobet scoring the opening points with a jumper. The Vaqueros quickly answered and briefly took a 7-4 lead after Wright snuck in a 3-pointer.
The Bobcats then unleashed an 11-0 run, starting with a 3-pointer from junior guard Dimp Pernell and a layup from sophomore center Robert Fields to jump ahead 15-7.
Timothy David / THE RIDER
The Vaqueros fought back, chipping away at the score with 3-pointers from Wright and Knight. However, the Bobcats held on to their lead.
The first half ended with Pernell scoring a layup before sophomore forward Bobby Crawford Jr. answered with a hook shot. Senior forward Terrell Wright dunked in the final seconds, leaving the Vaqueros with a two-point deficit, 30-28.
The Bobcats came out aggressively in the second half, with Djobet immediately hitting back-to-back 3-pointers. Pernell followed with a 3-pointer of his own, completing a 9-0 run that stretched the lead to 39-28 with 18 minutes remaining.
The Bobcats continued their relentless prowl, with sophomore forward DJ Hall adding another 3-pointer.
Fields later finished a layup before securing the ball away from the Vaqueros, running a dunk down the board in transition, extending the lead to 53-41.
The battle would continue with the Vaqueros, as Posey scored on multiple layups and free throws, while senior guard Devon Pryor drained a 3-pointer. Bell and Knight also contributed baskets.
The Vaqueros cut the deficit to single digits several times, but the Bobcats kept answering.
In the closing minutes, Pernell scored consecutive layups before sealing the victory at the free-throw line, going for a perfect 4-4 from the stripe in the final stretch.
The Vaqueros are set to host College of Biblical Studies on Wednesday at the Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus.
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