SAN ANTONIO, Texas (February 24, 2018) – Brendan Ortiz scored all 12 of his points in the second half including a layup with three seconds left lifting the Texas A&M International University men's basketball team to a 67-66 victory over St. Mary's and clinching the eighth seed in next week's Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. The Dustdevils have now won back-to-back games in San Antonio for the first time in program history as they improve to 11-17 overall and 4-12 in conference play.
 
Dan Milota scored a team-high 16 points going 6-of-10 from field with fellow senior Kamari Robinson contributing 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Jeremy Wright chipped in 13 points with a game-high six assists while Ortiz adding his 12 on 4-of-6 shooting. The Dustdevils had one of their best shooting performances on the road this season at 53.2% compared to the 51.1% of the Rattlers.
 
Damon Leach was the lone Dustdevil to score in the first four minutes of the game as the Rattlers jumped out to a 10-2 lead heading into the first media timeout. StMU scored on the first position out of the timeout making it a 10-point deficit but a Milota three sparked a 10-0 run for TAMU as they tied it at 12-all with 11:24 left in the first half.
 
Milota continued his hot streak from the field scoring five straight points to keep pace with the Rattlers before a jumper from Wright at 8:22 gave them their first lead of the game, 19-17. The lead was short lived as StMU's Skyler Brooks hit a three to make it a one-point lead in favor of the home team. Following a Petar Radojicic free throw, Robinson was good from beyond the arc as TAMIU retook the lead, 22-21.
 
Just when the Dustdevils thought they had momentum going in their favor, StMU responded with a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to lead 31-22 at the under-four minute time out. Wright's only three of the first half ended the run but was immediately answered by a three from Will Ferguson making it 34-25 with under three remaining. Robinson would complete the old-fashioned 3-point play followed by a layup from Wright as the Dustdevils trailed 34-30 at half.
 
Neither team shot the ball well in the opening minutes of the second half with StMU extendingtheir lead to six on  Rodjicicic layup. Wright proceeded score the next six points for the Dustdevils bringing them within two, 38-36, with four minutes gone in the final period. The Rattlers pushed the lead back to 11 over the four minutes before a three at 11:39 from Xabier Gomez ignited the Dustdevil comeback. The junior's three kick started the offense as Robinson scored five straight points including his second 3-point play of the game with Milota chipping in five of his own including a three at 8:17 to make it 56-52.
 
Ortiz came alive when the Dustdevils needed him most hitting his first shot of the game with just over seven minutes remaining to make it a one-point game, 56-55. Garland scored two of his four points giving the Dustdevils their first lead since early in the first half. But just like they had done all game, the Rattlers countered with a run of their own taking a five point lead, 64-59, with less than three minutes remaining in the game. Oritz hit a pair of free throws and a three in back-to-back positions to tie the game at 64-all.
 
The game would remained tied until StMU's Juwan Green made both of his attempts from the charity stripe with 55 seconds left. Milota got fouled on the next possession but was only able to make 1-of-2 as the Dustdevils trailed by one, 66-65. The Dustdevils decided not to foul on the next possession which paid off as Robinson pulled down Rodjoicic's missed shot before Ortiz scored his first career game-winner with three seconds on the clock.
 
The Dustdevils face No. 1 seed Dallas Baptist in the quarterfinals of the Heartland Conference Tournament on Thursday, Mar. 1, in Tulsa, Okla. The conference will provided live stats and video.