Ewuzie Everywhere in Men's Basketball Win

LAREDO, Texas – The St. Mary's Men's Basketball returned the favor on Thursday night, defeating Texas A&M International on its home floor after the Dustdevils won in Bill Greehey Arena earlier this season. The Rattlers won 62-57 and shot a season-best 56.5 percent from the field.
 
Senior Emmanuel Ewuzie (San Antonio) was all over the court, leading the team with 15 points, six rebounds, a career-high five assists, a career-high tying four blocked shots and a steal. He was 5-for-6 from the field and 5-for-7 at the free throw line.
 
Fellow seniors Caleb Jordan (Midlothian, Texas) and Ryan Leonard (Kerry, Ireland) chipped in 14 and 11 points, respectively and junior Edward Manuel (Lake Charles, La.) came off the bench to bring down a team-best seven rebounds. Junior Jalon Johnson (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) led the game with six assists as the Rattlers (10-8, 7-6 Lone Star) collected 20 assists on 26 made buckets.
 
Tyrese Davis led the Dustdevils (12-9, 5-8 LSC) with 13 points and Tiras Morton had a game-high eight rebounds. 
 
The game started as a defensive battle, as the Rattlers forced a shot clock violation on their first defensive effort and Ewuzie blocked a shot on their second. The teams picked up the pace a bit after the second media timeout, with the Dustdevils hitting three-pointers on four-straight trips down the floor, while Leonard hit a triple in the middle with a Jordan floater for the 18-13 TAMIU score. Ewuzie brought the Rattlers within one with back-to-back shots down low, forcing a TAMIU timeout. StMU scored six of the next eight for a 23-20 lead and the teams went back-and-forth for the halftime tie, 29-29.
 
The Dustdevils scored 10 of the first 12 points of the second half to jump out to a 39-31 lead. After the first media timeout, the Rattlers answered with 12 of the next 14 to take a 43-41 advantage, forcing TAMIU into another break in the action and the Rattlers never trailed again, winning 62-57.
 
St. Mary's scored 44 of its 62 points in the paint and held the Dustdevils without any fast break opportunities.
 
The Rattlers remain on the road, playing at Texas A&M Kingsville on Saturday at approximately 3 p.m. Earlier on Thursday, the Javelinas defeated St. Edward's 77-73 to remain undefeated in East Division play (7-0).