LAREDO, Texas (December 19, 2016) - The Texas A&M International University Men's Basketball team hosted Rogers State in Heartland Conference action on Monday. The Dustdevils picked up their third straight win with a 68-55 victory over the Hillcats. TAMIU is now 8-4 overall (2-0 Heartland Conference).

Denzel Bellot picked up his third straight game with 10 or more points. Bellot led the offensive charge for TAMIU, scoring 16 points in the 68-55 win. 

First Half:
After a Greg Mason free-throw, TAMIU took a lead they would not return to the HIllcats. The Dustdevils stretched the first half lead to as much as 13 before finishing the half up 28-22. Bellot led all scorers with 12 first-half points. Kenny Hatch and Arthur Santanna each picked up three rebounds in the first 20 minutes of action. The Dustdevils would shoot 55% (10-18) from the field and 57% (4-7) from behind the arc through 20 minutes of play. 

Second Half:
TAMIU would continue to control play in the second half, outscoring RSU 40-33. The Dustdevils would extend the lead to 17 with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. Rogers State was unable to come within eight for the remainder of play as late fouls allowed TAMIU to take the game 68-55. Jordan VanDeKop picked up 10 points in the final 20 minutes of play while Santanna and Hatch added six points each. Bellot, Santanna, and VanDeKop each finished with 10 or more points in the win. 

TAMIU controlled the floor all night, holding Rogers State to the fifth fewest points in program history. The Dustdevils forced 15 turnovers, picking up 23 points from the bench. Despite shooting 62.5% from the stripe, TAMIU added 22 points on free-throws. 

Head Coach Bryan Weakley commented after the game, "We played great defense today. Everyone contributed. We did however make some late game mistakes which we have to correct soon."

The Dustdevils return to action on December 31, 2016. TAMIU will host Dallas Baptist in the TAMIU KCB. Tip-off is set for 3pm CST. 

The Dustdevils can be followed all season long on GoDustdevils.com, and on social media. Follow @TAMIUAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat for exclusive content.