SAN ANTONIO (Interstat) — In a Southland Conference shootout defined by offensive firepower and critical defensive stands, the Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros outlasted the Incarnate Word Cardinals 106-93 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at McDermott Convocation Center.

The most important part of the game unfolded in a decisive second-half surge. Leading by just two points at halftime, 44-42, the Vaqueros unleashed a blistering offensive display after the break, scoring 62 points on a staggering array of efficient shooting. The key sequence came early in the second period, where UTRGV transformed a narrow edge into a commanding lead.

After Incarnate Word’s Jordan Pyke opened the half with a quick basket to tie the game, the Vaqueros responded with a 13-2 run over a three-minute span. The burst was fueled by the backcourt duo of Jaylen Washington and Julien Gomez, along with forward Koree Cotton. Washington, who finished with 19 points and six assists, initiated the offense, Gomez hit a three-pointer, and Cotton converted a driving layup. This run established a double-digit lead that Incarnate Word would never fully recover from, as the Vaqueros maintained relentless pressure.

UTRGV’s offensive execution was nearly flawless. The team shot 62.3 percent from the field for the game, including a 48 percent clip from three-point range. They were even more potent in the second half, scoring 62 points on 70.8 percent shooting. Their offensive rating of 150.5, scoring 106 points on just 70 possessions, underscored an elite performance. The Vaqueros also capitalized on Cardinal mistakes, scoring 16 points off 13 Incarnate Word turnovers while committing only four of their own.

Incarnate Word, which fell to 9-13 overall, was led by a spectacular 33-point effort from Jordan Pyke of Greensboro, North Carolina. Guard Tahj Staveskie added 24 points and seven assists. The Cardinals shot a respectable 55.9 percent from the floor and 45.5 percent from deep, but could not match UTRGV’s volume or efficiency, nor overcome their own ball-handling issues.

While Pyke and Staveskie kept the Cardinals within striking distance, UTRGV consistently answered every push. A Pyke three-pointer cut the deficit to 11 with just over 10 minutes remaining, but Filip Brankovic of Indija, Serbia, responded with a three-point play on the ensuing possession. When Staveskie hit a three to make it 72-67 with 7:32 left, UTRGV’s Zae Blake of Washington, D.C., immediately countered with a three-pointer.

The Vaqueros’ balance proved overwhelming. Cotton, a 6-foot-6 guard from Miami, Florida, led the team with 21 points and five assists. Gomez, from La Mirada, California, scored 20 points, and Washington added his 19. Brankovic provided a significant interior presence with 15 points, and Marvin McGhee of Atlanta, Georgia, scored 12. The win improved UTRGV to 11-11 on the season and completed a regular-season sweep of the Cardinals, having also won 80-67 in Edinburg on Jan. 5.

Despite the offensive showcase, a pivotal defensive play late in the first half foreshadowed UTRGV’s control. With the Vaqueros holding a slim lead in the final seconds, Incarnate Word’s Staveskie drove for a potential tying layup, but was met and blocked by UTRGV’s Marshal Destremau, preserving the halftime advantage and momentum.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 234, was a contrast in possession management. UTRGV’s low turnover count and high-percentage shots allowed them to build and sustain their lead despite being out-rebounded on the offensive glass 9-5. Incarnate Word’s offensive rating of 126.6 was strong, but paled in comparison to the Vaqueros’ historic efficiency.

Texas-Rio Grande Valley will look to continue its momentum at home against Houston Christian on Monday. Incarnate Word travels to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, also on Monday.