FORT SMITH, Arkansas (January 28, 2017) - The Texas A&M International University Men's Basketball team took on Arkansas Fort Smith on Saturday. The Dustdevils picked up 54-53 win, moving to 14-7 overall (8-3 Heartland Conference).

First Half:
Despite jumping ahead early in the first half, TAMIU was outdone offensively in the first 20 minutes. Arkansas Fort Smith outscored the Dustdevils by eight in the first half, opening a 29-21 lead. Denzel Bellot and Jordan VanDeKop led TAMIU on offense, putting up six points a piece in the first 20 minutes. 

Second Half:
TAMIU came out of the gate strong in the second half, opening the first seven minutes with a 16-2 run. The 16-2 run would allow TAMIU to erase the eight point halftime deficit and open a six point lead of their own. With one minute remaining in regulation, UAFS would come back to bring the game within two points on multiple occassions. An Arthur Santanna free-throw with eight seconds remaining would be enough to earn TAMIU the win. A lion defender was fouled with half a second remaining but was unable to convert on the free-throws, leading to a 54-53 TAMIU win. 

Bellot and Bunja Yaboe combined to score 34 points in the win. Bellot picked up 20 points, six rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Yaboe ended the afternoon with 14 points.

Coaches Corner:
Head Coach Bryan Weakley commented on the win, "I am proud of the way we responded from Thursday night's game. Today we competed harder."

Up Next:
The Dustdevils travel to Lubbock, Texas for their next game. TAMIU will take on Lubbock Christian with tip-off set for 8pm CST. 

Stay Tuned:
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.