Box Score
KINGSVILLE, Texas – Texas A&M International entered Saturday's game at Texas A&M-Kingsville with only one loss weighing against its program-best 7-win start. That blemish came in a double-overtime edging by the Javalinas on Nov. 30.
TAMUK (5-2) struck again, winning a 83-82 contest over TAMIU in overtime. The Dustdevils (7-2, 3-0 Heartland Conference) have now dropped their only two games against the non-conference Javelinas by a combined seven points through a total of three overtimes.
Leading the Dustdevils on Saturday, two-time Heartland Player of the Week Samantha Chacon scored 23 points on 8-for-18 shooting through all 45 minutes of play. She never took a break, distributing four assists and grabbing four rebounds. It's the fourth time the senior guard scored more than 20 points in a game this season – including 23- and 32-point showings versus TAMUK.
The El Paso native has scored less than 10 points in only two games, while boosting her scoring average to 17.4 points – nearly six points higher than her junior year.
Senior forward Malika Jackson produced an equally impressive evening. The Palmdale, Calif., post player recorded her fifth double-double of the season, securing 13 rebounds and scoring 16 points. Saturday's scoreline boosts Jackson's season average into double-double territory as well: she now averages 10.2 boards a game and 14.8 points per game. Jackson played all but four minutes of the game.
One other Dustdevil scored in double figures against the Javelinas. Junior guard Jessica Woo came off the bench to play 25 minutes en route to a 19-point showing. She also pulled in five rebounds and got away with three steals on defense.
Every player the Dustdevils had available to play scored at least a point in the game. Senior guard Re'Nikia Meshack scored seven, senior guard Tina Dang hit six, both Alexis Thomas and Jessica Prieto had four, Samone Davis scored two and Mason Hawk scored one point.
The Dustdevils led by as many as 15 points in the first half, but TAMUK lingered, taking its biggest lead of the game – just five points – midway through the OT period. It was a three-point game at halftime – in favor of TAMIU.
The Dustdevils will return to action of Dec. 19 in a hosting of Heartland rival Rogers State at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building at 5:30 p.m. The TAMIU and RSU men's teams will close out the evening with a game at 7:30 p.m.
