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SCHEDULE CHANGE: Game with UIW has been moved from Monday night to Tuesday due to inclement weather, with tip-off set for 7 pm ...

HOUSTON --- Houston Christian University dropped a 68-51 decision to University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Saturday afternoon in Sharp Gymnasium, as the Vaqueros pulled away from a tight game with 13 minutes left to keep the Huskies from winning their third straight on the homestand. 
 
HCU was quick out of the starting blocks, getting out to a 9-2 advantage just over two minutes into the contest. Kylin Green got things going with a three-ball and Demarco Bethea added two scores as well, as Trent Johnson assisted on the first four buckets by the hosts.
 
The Vaqueros wasted no time responding, and three-pointers by Koree Cotton and Marvin McGhee III sandwiched a dunk by Kwo Agwa to cap a 17-4 burst that pushed the visitors from the Valley ahead 19-13 with 11:24 to play in the first half.
 
The two teams would then combine for just nine points over the nearly next six minutes. D'Aundre Samuels hit a three with 5:54 to play that pulled HCU to within five, 23-18 with 5:54 to go, but UTRGV scored six straight to open up a double-digit lead after another bucket by Agwa in the paint. Ryan Bartley would hit consecutively from long range to get the deficit for the Huskies to 31-24 at the intermission.
 
Houston Christian came out of the break with a solid push. Another from distance by Samuels sliced the visitors lead to just three, 33-30. The lead for UTRGV was still only five with 13:13 to play on a basket underneath by Bethea, but that is where things began to lead towards the Vaqueros.
 
An extended run by the Vaqueros started with MgGhee hitting a three and ended with McGhee scoring on a layup. The visitors used a strong defensive stretch as well, and the 15-4 run ended with UTRGV holding a 57-42 advantage, effectively putting the game out of reach with 8:06 to go.
 
The Huskies assisted on 14 of their 20 made baskets and outrebounded the Vaqueros by five, but 19 giveaways led to 25 points for the visitors. UTRGV also used a 38-20 edge in the paint and committed just 11 turnovers while assisting on 22 of their 28 made baskets.
 
HCU shot 43% for the evening and 38% from the arc, while UTRGV shot 53% and 44%. The two teams went the first 18 minutes of the game without a foul called and there were just 14 whistled in a swiftly moving contest that saw just 12 free throws combined.
 
Demarco Bethea had his first career double-double to lead the Huskies, as he matched his career-high for the third time this season with 14 points and also hauled in a career-best 10 rebounds. D'Aundre Samuels was the only other HCU player in double digits with a dozen points and five boards, while Demari Williams and Ryan Bartley chipped in eight apiece. Trent Johnson finished with a career-best eight assists.
 
Marvin McGhee III led a trio of double-digit Vaqueros (9-11 | 5-6 SLC) with 17 points. He hit 3-6 from deep and added a team-high six boards. Koree Cotton added 16 points, three assists, two blocks and two steals, while Filip Brankovic went for 12 points. Jaylen Washington scored just four points but dished out six dimes and had four steals.
 
Houston Christian University drops the third game of the four-game homestand after winning the first two, and is now 7-13 overall and 3-8 in Southland play.
 
The Huskies will pass the midway point of the conference schedule as they conclude the homestand against the University of the Incarnate Word. That game, originally scheduled for Monday night, has been moved to 7 pm on Tuesday night with the closure of the University on Monday due to the inclement weather in the greater Houston Area.
 
 
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