OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men’s basketball team went toe-to-toe with the No. 15 Creighton University Bluejays on Wednesday battling back from double-digit deficits and getting as close as five points with two minutes to play before falling 99-86 at CHI Health Center Omaha.
Senior Hasan Abdul Hakim led the Vaqueros (0-2) with 26 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season while also adding four assists. Senior Cliff Davis added 17 points with four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Graduate student DK Thorn also scored 17 points and recorded three steals.
The Bluejays (1-0) had three players in double-figure scoring led by Ryan Kalkbrenner, who scored 49 points with 11 rebounds. Steve Ashworth scored 25 points with seven rebounds and Isaac Traudt chipped in with 11 points.
The Vaqueros trailed by 14 with just under 11 minutes to play but went on a 10-2 run led by Abdul Hakim, who scored eight of the 10 points to get within 73-67.
The Bluejays pushed their lead back to 83-72 after a three-point play Jason Green. Davis knocked down a couple of threes and Abdul Hakim converted on a couple of layups to get UTRGV within 87-82 with 2:37 left to play but the Bluejays didn’t took advantage at the free throw line to put the game away.
Early in the game, the Vaqueros had an answer for the Bluejays. After Creighton opened the scoring, UTRGV got three-pointers from Thorn and Abdul Hakim to take the early 6-2 lead. After a 5-0 run by the Bluejays, the Vaqueros took the lead right back on a jumper by Miller that made it 16-15.
Creighton took their biggest lead of the first half at 44-32 after a 6-0 run late in the half but UTRGV once again answered with a run of their own as they went on a 6-1 run on back-to-back three-point plays by Davis to close out the half to get within 46-38.
The Vaqueros will be back in action on Sunday, Nov. 10, when they host Champion Christian College Tigers in their home opener at 6:30 p.m. at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at GoUTRGV.com/Tickets. Current UTRGV students receive free general admission with their student ID. All fans need to follow the clear bag policy, details of which can be found at GoUTRGV.com/ClearBag. The party starts in Schlotzsky’s Vaquero Village at 5:30 p.m.
Fans unable to attend in person can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via Southland International.
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