SAN ANTONIO – No. 13 St. Mary’s men’s basketball closed out its final game of the calendar year strong, defeating Texas A&M-Kingsville 74-56 on Saturday.
The Rattlers (9-2) trailed briefly early before taking control and pulling away in the second half, outscoring the Javelinas 48-36 after the break.
Texas A&M-Kingsville (5-6) kept things close early behind Daniel Sanchez, but St. Mary’s maintained a six-point lead heading into halftime.
Damani Claxton led the way for the Rattlers with a team-high 25 points and three assists.
Olaverr Camacho also benefited from Claxton’s playmaking as St. Mary’s used balanced scoring and defensive pressure to secure the win.
The Rattlers will be back in action against Midwestern State at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 2.
Trinity takes down Saint John’s 102-76 in Leslie Robinson Classic
Trinity continued its strong play at home with a 102-76 win over Saint John’s (Minn.) on Wednesday night.
The Tigers (7-2) jumped out early, taking a 22-12 lead after Joshua Chesney finished an and-one opportunity off a pass from Carter Ruck.
Trinity extended the margin later in the first half when Trent Medearis found Dean Balo in the corner for a 3-pointer, pushing the lead to 31-14.
Moments later, Ruck connected again, this time lobbing a pass to Gabe Parr for a basket as the Tigers carried a 42-27 advantage.
Trinity next faces Wisconsin-Stevens Point at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.