Box Score LAREDO, Texas – Riding a historic 13-game win streak into Saturday's action at the Texas A&M International Kinesiology and Convocation Building, neither regulation nor two overtimes could hold the first-placed Dustdevils' contest against second-seeded St. Mary's.
The Dustdevils went from jubilation to overtime after a last-second score was waved off by officials, leading to an eventual 87-85 triple-overtime result in favor of the Rattlers (12-3, 5-2 Heartland).
Even with the loss, the Dustdevils (13-4, 6-1 Heartland) still stand a game ahead of the rest of the league.
With the win, the Rattlers slither into a three-way tie for second place with the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (11-4, 5-2 Heartland) and the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (12-3, 5-2 Heartland).
The triple-OT affair saw seven combined foul-outs.
St. Mary's sat down four players –including its top two rebounders: JJ Bolton and Justin Alexander – while the Dustdevils lost big-man Damal Donaldson in the midst of a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Jordan Clark and Jamie Farrie also fouled out for TAMIU.
Senior guard Johnel Gray led the Dustdevils in scoring for the third consecutive game and for the seventh time this season. His 28 points rank as his season-high, and the season-high for any Dustdevil in 2013-14. He's bucketed a combined 73 points in the last three games.
He also dished four assists and grabbed a rebound.
Kevin Jefferson Jr. scored 15 points for TAMIU while also logging a steal, five assists and two rebounds. Former Heartland Conference Player of the Week Vadal Faniel scored 11 points and snatched seven rebounds to accompany his assist, blocked shots and steal.
Senior guard Matthew Culliver Jr. scored eight points with three steals and a pair of assists and rebounds. Clark scored four points and four rebounds before fouling out, and Farrie scored three points with three boards and a pair of steals and assists.
Deonnte Breedlove played 21 minutes and came away with three rebounds despite not scoring a point.
The first-place Dustdevils will now travel to Oklahoma Christian (7-8, 3-4 Heartland) for a 7:30 p.m. game on Jan. 23 before traveling to Dallas Baptist for a 2 p.m. game on Jan. 25. They will return home to host Oklahoma Panhandle on Jan. 30.
