Box Score LAREDO, Texas – Entering Saturday's Heartland Conference action, first place Texas A&M International could have won the regular season crown with a win over the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and a St. Edward's loss against McMurry. Only one of those situations occurred, as TAMIU defeated UTPB, 57-49, at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building.
With the victory, the Dustdevils (18-5, 14-3 Heartland) maintain their 3.5-game lead atop the conference, with St. Edward's (14-6, 10-5 Heartland) sitting in second after defeating McMurry, 67-52. The two teams will face off on Feb. 20 with a chance for TAMIU to clinch at the Recreation and Convocation Center in Austin, Texas, with a win.
On Saturday, the Dustdevils honored their three seniors – Tina Dang, Malika Jackson and Samantha Chacon – with a Senior Day ceremony as well as wearing special pink warm-ups and shoe laces as participants in the Play 4 Kay activities to raise breast cancer awareness.
On Senior Day, two of the team's three seniors finished with double-digit points totals – including Jackson's double-double with a game-high 17 points and game-high 11 rebounds. Chacon had 13 points with two boards and three assists. Dang finished with seven points, a rebound, assist and two steals.
Starting point guard Re'Nikia Meshack scored nine points with six rebounds and two assists. Sophomore guard Jessica Prieto finished with five points and a game-high four blocks. Alexis Thomas scored four points and pulled in nine rebounds with a steal and an assist. Mason Hawk scored two points.
The Dustdevils led by as many as 13 points with nine minutes left, and outscored the Falcons 38-27 in the second half. Standing as a stark opposite, the Dustdevils trailed 22-19 at the half.
TAMIU will close its regular season in search of a program-first Heartland regular season championship with three consecutive road games – starting with the Hilltoppers.
