EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — Texas-Rio Grande Valley used a dominant first half to defeat Incarnate Word 80-67 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Monday night at UT Pan Am Field House. The Vaqueros built a 44-29 halftime lead and maintained control throughout the second half before an announced crowd of 711. The victory improved Texas-Rio Grande Valley to 6-9 overall. Incarnate Word, which got 38 second-half points but could not close the gap, fell to 8-7. Key performances from Filip Brankovic and Koree Cotton powered the Vaqueros. Tahj Staveskie and Harold Woods led the effort for the Cardinals. The game was a Southland Conference contest. Texas-Rio Grande Valley next plays at Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday. Incarnate Word visits Lamar on Saturday.

EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — Filip Brankovic scored a game-high 29 points and Koree Cotton added 23 as Texas-Rio Grande Valley snapped a three-game losing streak with an 80-67 victory over Incarnate Word in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Monday night at UT Pan Am Field House. The Vaqueros, improving to 6-9 overall, used a dominant first-half offensive display to build a commanding lead that the Cardinals could never seriously threaten. Texas-Rio Grande Valley shot a blistering 58 percent from the field in the opening period, racing to a 44-29 halftime advantage behind the inside-outside combination of Brankovic and Cotton. The most important part of the game was the opening 10 minutes, where the Vaqueros established immediate control. After Incarnate Word’s Jordan Pyke opened the scoring with a layup, Texas-Rio Grande Valley responded with a 15-2 run. The surge was fueled by Brankovic, the 6-foot-6, 265-pound forward from Serbia, who scored nine early points, including a 3-pointer. Cotton, a 6-6 guard from Miami, Florida, added four points during the run, which was facilitated by crisp passing from Julien Gomez and Jaylen Washington. The Cardinals struggled to find an offensive rhythm against the Vaqueros’ active defense, committing several turnovers and missing seven of their first nine shots. This early cushion allowed Texas-Rio Grande Valley to play with confidence and manage Incarnate Word’s subsequent pushes. Brankovic was efficient throughout, making 11 of his 17 field goal attempts in 33 minutes of action. He also contributed three assists and a block. Cotton complemented him with a stat line that included four assists and three blocks, showcasing his two-way impact. Gomez finished with 10 points and five assists, while Washington directed the offense with eight points and five assists. Incarnate Word, which fell to 8-7, was led by Tahj Staveskie’s 21 points and four assists. Harold Woods added 14 points and Davion Bailey scored 11, but the Cardinals shot just 39 percent from the field as a team. They made a concerted effort to attack the paint in the second half, scoring 38 points after the break, but could never cut the deficit below double digits. Every time the Cardinals strung together a couple of baskets, the Vaqueros answered, often with a 3-pointer or a transition score. The Cardinals closed to within 11 points on multiple occasions in the second half, but critical plays by the Vaqueros snuffed out any hope of a comeback. With just over seven minutes remaining and the lead at 58-47, Cotton intercepted a pass and finished with a driving layup while being fouled, converting the free throw to push the lead back to 14. Later, with under five minutes to go and the lead at 66-57, Gomez sank a crucial 3-pointer off an assist from Cotton to extend the margin to 12. The final dagger came with 1:12 left when Cotton, again, hit a 3-pointer from the wing to give Texas-Rio Grande Valley its largest lead at 80-67, sealing the victory. The game was a departure from recent form for both teams. Incarnate Word entered having won three of its last four, including a convincing 73-56 win over Houston Christian on Saturday. Texas-Rio Grande Valley had lost three straight close conference games, each by six points or fewer. The Vaqueros’ offensive execution, particularly in the first half, proved to be the difference, outperforming the pre-game statistical projection which had favored the Cardinals. An announced crowd of 711 watched at the Field House. Incarnate Word will look to rebound on the road at Lamar on Saturday. Texas-Rio Grande Valley continues its homestand, traveling to face Texas A&M-Commerce, also on Saturday. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in San Antonio on Jan. 31.

Hot-Shooting Incarnate Word Visits Struggling UTRGV in Southland Clash EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — Riding a three-game winning streak, the Incarnate Word Cardinals look to continue their surge when they visit the Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Monday night at UT Pan Am Field House. The Cardinals (8-6, 2-0 Southland) have found their rhythm offensively, averaging 80.7 points during their streak. They are coming off a 73-56 home victory over Houston Christian on Saturday. The Vaqueros (5-9, 0-3), meanwhile, seek to halt a three-game skid, all in conference play, including a 63-59 home loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Incarnate Word is powered by guard Tahj Staveskie, who is averaging 19.2 points and 4.8 assists over his last five games. He exploded for 27 points in the win over Houston Christian. Backcourt mate Davion Bailey added 26 points in that contest, giving UIW a potent scoring duo. UTRGV will counter with guard Jaylen Washington, who has been a bright spot during the losing streak. He posted 15 points and seven assists against Corpus Christi and 17 points and six assists in a narrow loss to Nicholls State prior to that. The Vaqueros will need more consistent scoring support, as they have failed to reach 70 points in four of their last five outings. The matchup pits one of the Southland’s early top offenses against one of its struggling units. Incarnate Word has scored 79 or more points in four of its last five games. UTRGV has allowed an average of 73.0 points in conference play. History will be on the line for the Cardinals, who can match their best start to league play since joining the Southland with a victory. For the Vaqueros, the game represents a critical opportunity to secure their first conference win and gain momentum before a two-game road trip. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST Monday. The teams will meet again in San Antonio on Jan. 31.