After a missed 3-pointer by California Baptist, UTRGV’s Mike Adewunmi grabbed the rebound and dribbled cross court for a possible go-ahead shot.
Adewunmi pulled up from the beyond the arc with clock winding down and fired the potential game-winner. The ball bounced off the back board and off the front of the rim, as the Vaqueros lost 81-80 during the play-in round of the Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament Tuesday at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.
The Vaqueros finish the year with an 8-23 overall record. The Lancers advance to the next round of the WAC tournament, taking on Sam Houston at 8 tonight.
Late in the game, Lancers guard Tre Armstrong gave California Baptist a four-point advantage with a shot from beyond the arc. The Vaqueros tied the game with a quick 4-0 run, capped by a layup from Marek Nelson with 56 seconds remaining.
After a free throw and a 3-pointer by the Lancers, the Vaqueros found themselves down four again before Xavier Johnson netted a fade-away 3-pointer with 35 seconds left to make it a one-point game.
The Vaqueros couldn’t complete the comeback attempt, however, with the Lancers holding on for the one-point victory.
Johnson led the Vaqueros, scoring a game-high 27 points on 4-of-10 shooting from behind the arc. Adewunmi finished with 14 points and eight rebounds.
The Lancers had six players score in double digits, led by brothers Taran and Tre Armstrong’s 13 points each. Chance Hunter, Reed Nottage and Ty Rowell each added 12 points.
