AUSTIN, Texas – Despite a dominating second half the St. Edward's Men's Basketball team suffered their first loss of the season, falling 69-58 to Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday afternoon.
 
It was an up-tempo contest from the opening tip as both teams aggressively attacked the basket. After the sixth tie of the game, 18-18, halfway through the first half the usually electric SEU offense went quiet. TAMUK went on a 23-2 run while holding the Hilltoppers to without a field goal for ten minutes to go up by 21, 41-20, with 1:31 remaining in the half.
 
Back-to-back layups and a free throw by junior AUGUST HAAS in the final 41 seconds sent SEU into the locker room trailing 41-25.
 
Sophomore SEAN PHILLIPS started the Hilltoppers off on the right foot with a three one minute into the second half. Within five minutes St. Edward's had cut the deficit to 11, 45-34, before eventually coming within three, 58-55, on CORY MCKENDREE's layup with 6:32 remaining.
 
SEU's offense went quiet again as they were held to just one field goal in the final six minutes which allowed TAMUK to build a comfortable lead and arrive at the 69-58 final.
 
The Hilltoppers were held to just 31.6% from the field and 24.1% from three-point range. DORIAN LOPEZ led with 15 points and added six rebounds while Haas added a team-high seven boards and nine assists.
 
SEU was outrebounded 42-30 in the loss while TAMUK got 20 points from the free throw line.
 
St. Edward's falls to 6-1 on the year and return to action on Sunday to take on Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches in an exhibition contest beginning at 4:30 pm.