KINGSVILLE, Texas — Gaius Mervin M'Ella tipped in the game-winning basket at the buzzer as Texas A&M International edged Texas A&M–Kingsville 81–80 on Tuesday night in Lone Star Conference action at the Steinke PE Center.

The teams were tied 33–33 at halftime and exchanged the lead repeatedly in the second half before M'Ella's offensive rebound and putback sealed the Dustdevils' road victory.

M'Ella led all scorers with 29 points, shooting 9 of 12 from the field and 10 of 15 from the free-throw line for Texas A&M International (6-10, 3-5 LSC). Tyland Holdman added 15 points, while Aaron Perez finished with 13 points.

The Dustdevils shot 51.0% from the floor and went 24 of 34 at the free-throw line. Texas A&M International also held a 36–27 rebounding advantage and led for nearly 30 minutes of game time.

Allen Singleton paced Texas A&M–Kingsville (7-8, 4-3 LSC) with 21 points, while Nate Garcia recorded 19 points and nine rebounds. Bryson Goldsmith and Jamir Turner scored 12 points apiece for the Javelinas.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Gaius Mervin M'Ella, Senior, comes to Laredo from Oyem, Gabon. He is the son of Ella and has three siblings. Gaius is pursuing his degree in Business Administration.

M'Ella delivered a dominant all-around performance and the decisive moment, finishing with a game-high 29 points and scoring the game-winning tip-in at the buzzer to lift Texas A&M International to an 81–80 road victory. He shot 9-of-12 from the field, went 10-of-15 at the free-throw line, and consistently drew contact in the paint, anchoring the Dustdevils throughout a back-and-forth Lone Star Conference battle.