EDINBURG – Wayland Baptist fell behind early and, despite a late-game run that saw the Pioneers have a chance to pull to within single digits, fell to NCAA Division I Texas-Rio Grande Valley in exhibition basketball here Tuesday night, 85-66.
"They're a good team – 16 wins and third place in the WAC – and they played well right from the start," Wayland coach
Ty Harrelson said. "I think we got within 12 (points) late in the game and had the ball, so we had an opportunity. On the road against a Division I, that's what you want."
The Sooner Athletic Conference champion Pioneers (22-6) trailed 43-28 at the half. The Vaqueros (16-13), a member of the Western Athletic Conference, went on a 12-0 run to start the second half and went on to lead by as many as 31 before making a late push.
"We were able to get a couple of fast-breaks and hit a couple of shots midway through the second half. Once we got used to their pressure we were able to get out in transition a little bit and started playing our game."
Wayland trimmed the deficit to a dozen, 77-65, with 4:11 left, but UTRGV ended the game on an 8-1 run to account for the final 19-point separation.
"There have been games where we've come back with less time (and trailing) by more points," said Harrelson, adding that the Pioneers ran out of gas after playing so hard to get back in the game. "We worked really hard to cut it to 12."
Sophomore
Tre Fillmore came off the bench to pace the Pioneers with 15 points. He was followed by
J.J. Culver with 11 and
Josh Throns with nine.
Spencer Lindsey wounded up with eight while
CJ Obinwa and
Trevonta Robertson got seven apiece.
"We outscored them in the paint (30-24)," Harrelson said.
UTRGV, which hit 11-of-20 3-pointers (55 percent), put four in double figures, led by Terry Winn III with 14 and Jordan Jackson and Tyson Smith with 13 apiece.
"They shot the 3 really well," Harrelson said. "I thought we had them scouted really well. We felt we could pack the lane and make them take outside jumpers, but they made them."
Wayland was hurt by 22 turnovers, 14 in the first half, compared to 13 total for the Vaqueros, who outrebounded the Pioneers, 36-32.
Jeremy Betjol pulled down eight boards while scoring five points for Wayland.
The Pioneers made 7-of-18 3s (39 percent) and 9-of-10 free throws.
"They shot 28 free throws and we only shot 10," Harrelson said.
It was the fourth time Wayland faced UTRGV in exhibition play over the past five seasons.
"This was a good time to play this game," Harrelson said. "Seeing that kind of speed and athleticism, and facing the pressure they put on us, it was good for us on the last road trip of the season right before the conference tournament."
Wayland, which last week secured its first-ever SAC regular-season title, returns to conference play for its final two regular-season games, first at 8 p.m. Thursday at Texas Wesleyan (13-15, 8-12) then at 4 p.m. Saturday at Southwestern Assemblies of God University (18-10, 11-9). The Pioneers beat the Rams and Lions in Plainview earlier this season, 68-52 and 92-71, respectively.
The Pioneers will play their first-round game in the SAC Tournament at home in the second game of a 6 & 8 p.m. doubleheader with the Flying Queens on Tuesday, Feb. 26.
