OKLAHOMA CITY (Interstat) — Tristen Newton scored 43 points and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers used a dominant first half to build an insurmountable lead, cruising to a 120-105 victory over the Oklahoma City Blue in a G League matchup Tuesday night at Cox Convention Center.

The Vipers improved to 29-19, while the Blue fell to 16-31.

The most important stretch of the game came in the opening 24 minutes, where Rio Grande Valley’s offensive firepower overwhelmed Oklahoma City. The Vipers erupted for 39 points in the first quarter, led by Newton’s hot start, and added 35 more in the second to take a 74-59 lead into halftime. That 15-point cushion proved critical as the Vipers’ offense cooled after the break.

Newton, a 6-foot-5 small forward, was the engine for Rio Grande Valley, playing 42 minutes and efficiently compiling his game-high point total. He shot 5 of 10 from 3-point range and added four rebounds and two assists. His performance continued a stellar recent run, following games of 28, 31 and 15 points in his last three outings.

He received ample support, particularly from point guard Daishen Nix, who tallied 20 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Caleb McConnell filled the stat sheet with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and center Efe Abogidi added 15 points and six rebounds.

Oklahoma City, which never led, was paced by Zhaire Smith. The point guard from Garland, Texas, scored 19 points in 25 minutes off the bench. Marquis Barnett provided a spark with 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while Nikola Topic dished out eight assists to go with 14 points. Center Kendall Munson controlled the glass with 14 rebounds.

The Blue made a concerted push in the third quarter, tightening their defense to hold the Vipers to just 25 points. They cut the deficit to as few as 11 points, but could not sustain the momentum into the fourth. Every time Oklahoma City threatened, Newton or a teammate answered with a key basket to stifle the rally.

Rio Grande Valley’s ball movement was superior, leading to easier looks, while Oklahoma City was plagued by 22 turnovers, which the Vipers converted into 31 points. The Vipers also held a significant advantage in fast-break points.

The win gave Rio Grande Valley a 2-1 season series edge over Oklahoma City, having also won in Oklahoma City on Feb. 1. The Blue’s last win in the matchup came on Nov. 7.

Rio Grande Valley returns home to face Memphis on Thursday, looking to build on its position in the Western Conference standings. Oklahoma City begins a two-game road trip at Iowa on Thursday.