Box Score LAREDO, Texas – Texas A&M International bounced back from its second loss of the year with a 67-58 victory over Rogers State, thus remaining perfect in Heartland Conference play. The victory pushes the Dustdevils to 8-2 overall and 4-0 in conference – with the team's only two losses coming against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Nov. 30 in double overtime and on Dec. 14 in overtime.
It was a defensive victory for the Dustdevils, who forced 17 turnovers to score 20 points.
Dustdevils senior point guard Re'Nikia Meshack took a crucial charge with less than two minutes on the clock, resulting in the waving off of a Rogers State basket that would have cut TAMIU's lead to four. That turnaround closed the door on the Hillcats (2-8, 1-5 Heartland), cementing a nine-point TAMIU win.
The Dustdevils duo of senior scorers struck again, as forward Malika Jackson and guard Samantha Chacon each scored a team-high 19 points. Chacon, a two-time Heartland Player of the Week in 2013, shot 8-for-17 from the field while playing all 40 minutes. Jackson 8-for-13 with seven rebounds.
The pair was a combined 5-for-5 from the free throw line.
Jessica Prieto, a Laredo Alexander alumnae, started just her third game this season to finish with 12 points, three assists and three blocks. Alexis Thomas scored five points and pulled in five rebounds, while Meshack scored four points along with bench players Jessica Woo and Stella Ghazarian.
The Dustdevils led by as many as 22 points with 11 minutes remaining in the game, and 11-for-11 shooting at the free throw line helped TAMIU maintain their lead.
With the victory, TAMIU remains tied with St. Mary's (9-1, 4-0 HC) atop the conference standings after being selected as the fifth-best team in the preseason coaches' poll. St. Edward's is also undefeated in conference play at 3-0 and 8-1 overall.
The Dustdevils face one final game in 2013, as hosts against the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith on Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. The TAMIU and UAFS men will play immediately following the women's game at 3 p.m.
