OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (January 5, 2017) - The Texas A&M International University Men's Basketball team opened a three-game road trip with a 75-70 win over Oklahoma Christian University on Thursday. The Dustdevils move to 10-5 overall (4-1 Heartland Conference).
First Half:
A tight first half saw TAMIU trail OC 31-34 through 20 minutes of action on Thursday. The teams would trade leads four times over 20 minutes with TAMIU holding a lead for six minutes of play. The Eagles held the largest lead at seven with 4:14 left on the clock. TAMIU would bring the game within one with less than :45 left on the clock before a late layup put the Eagles ahead 34-31.
Bunja Yaboe led the Dustdevils offensive charge with eight first half points. Yaboe added a block and two rebounds.
Jordan VanDeKop put up seven points, picking up two steals through 20 minutes.
Second Half:
TAMIU took control of the game midway through the second half. With 9:23 left in regulation TAMIU regained the lead and would not surrender it for the remainder of the game. The Dustdevils stretched the lead to 12 with 2:59 remaining before OC brought the game within five late. VanDeKop led all scorers in the second half with 12 points. VanDeKop added three rebounds in the final 20 minutes.
Denzel Bellot added a team-high five second half assists en route to the win.
VanDeKop finished the night with 19 points and four rebounds.
Arthur Santanna added 15 points, three assists, and three steals. Yaboe and
Kenny Hatch each finished with double-digit point totals, scoring 12 and 11 respectively.
Coaches Corner:
Head Coach
Bryan Weakley commented on the win, "It was a gutsy performance by our team tonight. We made some mistakes down the stretch but our effort was there to make up for it."
Up Next:
The Dustdevils continue play on the road this weekend, taking on St. Edward's. TAMIU will head to Austin, Texas for a matchup with Hilltoppers. Tip-off is set for 3pm 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.
