NATCHITOCHES, La. (Interstat) — Northwestern State edged Texas-Rio Grande Valley 64-63 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Monday night at Prather Coliseum. Both teams are now 6-11 this season. The game was tied 28-28 at halftime before the Demons outscored the Vaqueros by a single point in the second half to secure the narrow victory. An announced crowd of 810 attended the Southland Conference matchup. National Statistical’s ELO system had projected Northwestern State with a 72.8% probability to win. The total score of 127 points fell well under the over/under line of 145.5.

NATCHITOCHES, La. (Interstat) — In a game defined by missed opportunities and a frantic final sequence, Northwestern State escaped with a 64-63 victory over Texas-Rio Grande Valley in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Monday night at a sparsely attended Prather Coliseum. The contest, which saw 10 ties and 12 lead changes, was ultimately decided at the free-throw line in the closing second. With the Demons trailing 63-61, UTRGV’s Zae Blake fouled Northwestern State’s Micah Thomas on a three-point attempt with 13 seconds remaining. Thomas, who led all scorers with 17 points, calmly sank both free throws to tie the game. On the ensuing possession, UTRGV’s Jaylen Washington drove for a potential game-winning layup but missed. Northwestern State’s Willie Williams secured the defensive rebound and was immediately fouled by UTRGV’s Marvin McGhee with one second on the clock. Williams missed the first free throw, but Izzy Miles, who had entered the game for the defensive possession, was fouled on the rebound attempt. Miles made the first of his two free throws to put the Demons ahead for good before intentionally missing the second. UTRGV’s Koree Cotton grabbed the rebound as time expired, sealing the narrow defeat for the Vaqueros. The game’s climax capped a second half where neither team led by more than five points. UTRGV, which fell to 6-11 overall and in conference play, appeared to seize control late, building a 58-54 lead with just over three minutes remaining after a layup by Kwo Agwa. However, Northwestern State (6-11) responded with an 8-0 run, fueled by four points from Willie Williams and a critical three-pointer from Chris Mubiru, to take a 62-58 lead with 1:17 left. UTRGV fought back, with Filip Brankovic converting a layup and, after a defensive stop, Washington tying the game at 63-63 on a driving layup with 45 seconds remaining, setting the stage for the dramatic finish. The first half was a back-and-forth affair that ended deadlocked at 28-28. UTRGV’s Brankovic, a 6-foot-6 forward from Indija, Serbia, was instrumental in keeping the Vaqueros close, scoring 11 of his team-high 19 points before halftime. Northwestern State’s balance showed, as they closed the half on a 7-2 spurt, capped by a JC Riley three-pointer just before the buzzer. Brankovic’s efficient 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including three three-pointers, paced UTRGV. Cotton, from Miami, Florida, added 14 points and seven rebounds. Washington, the Vaqueros’ primary playmaker from Dallas, dished out a game-high seven assists to go with five points. For Northwestern State, Thomas’s 17 points and five assists led the way. Williams, from Houston, Texas, provided a significant interior presence with 14 points and nine rebounds. Mubiru, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, contributed 10 points, including two key three-pointers in the second half. Statistically, the game was a near mirror image. Both teams scored 28 points in the first half and finished with 12 points off turnovers. UTRGV held a slight edge in points in the paint, 28-24, while Northwestern State managed a 9-5 advantage in fastbreak points. The Demons’ ability to get to the line proved marginally decisive, attempting 22 free throws to UTRGV’s 17. The loss extends a difficult stretch for UTRGV, which has now dropped four of its last five games. Northwestern State, meanwhile, earned its second consecutive win following a victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday. Both teams continue Southland Conference play on Saturday. UTRGV returns home to face McNeese State, while Northwestern State travels to face Incarnate Word.

Preview: Texas-Rio Grande Valley at Northwestern State NATCHITOCHES, La. (Interstat) — Two Southland Conference teams looking to build momentum will meet Monday when Northwestern State hosts Texas-Rio Grande Valley at Prather Coliseum. The Demons (5-11) enter on the heels of a narrow 79-78 home victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday. Northwestern State has shown flashes, including a 74-68 win over New Orleans on Jan. 3, but consistency has been elusive. The visiting Vaqueros (6-9) snapped a three-game skid with an 80-67 home win over Incarnate Word on Jan. 5. Both teams have struggled in conference play, making this a pivotal early-season matchup in the league standings. A key battle will feature two of the conference’s top scorers. Northwestern State guard Micah Thomas is averaging 18.2 points per game over his last five contests, including a 29-point performance in a narrow loss at Nicholls State on Jan. 5. He will be matched by Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s Filip Brankovic, who is averaging 17.4 points per game in that same span. Brankovic is coming off a season-high 29 points in the win over Incarnate Word. Northwestern State’s offense has been potent at times, scoring 108 points in a blowout of Southern-N.O. last month, but has also been held under 65 points in five losses. The Demons will need to contain a UTRGV attack that saw both Brankovic and Koree Cotton (23 points) excel in its last outing. Defensive intensity may decide this contest. Both teams have had issues closing games, with four of UTRGV’s last six losses coming by single digits, and Northwestern State suffering a 74-72 loss at Nicholls State last week. Monday’s game tips off at 7 p.m. CST. Following this contest, Northwestern State travels to face Incarnate Word on Saturday, while UTRGV returns home to host McNeese State.