AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's men's basketball team closed the game on a 12-0 run to open the new year with a 69-53 win over the Texas A&M International Dustdevils. 
 
LEWIS ROWE dominated inside with a 23-point, 11-rebound double-double, and LATIEK BRISCOE sparked St. Edward's with 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting off the bench, hitting both of his 3-point attempts. 
 
Texas A&M International refused to cede 3-point attempts, limiting the Hilltoppers to 2-for-4 shooting in the first half. So, St. Edward's went to Rowe in the paint early and often, getting 14 first-half points. 
 
The Australian big man finished pick-and-roll feeds from point guard GAVINO RAMOS, who had three assists at the break. Rowe also showed a combination of power and deft touch, hitting the offensive glass for putbacks and showcasing his hook shot to shoot 7-for-9 in the first half. 
 
Briscoe scored eight off the bench before the break, hitting a 3-pointer, a mid-range jumper, and finishing through contact for an old-fashioned 3-point play. 
 
Texas A&M International stayed in the game with six 3-pointers on 17 attempts, breaking pressure at the top of the key to find shooters in the corners, finishing with seven assists to six turnovers, trailing St. Edward's 32-28 at the break. 
 
The Dustdevils opened the second half, hitting four of their first five shots to take a 37-36 lead on Etaban Roacho's layup four minutes in. Rowe answered with a hook shot and foul for a 3-point play, and CONOR MCMANUS hit a 3-pointer on a feed from MASON COURTNEY to put St. Edward's up 42-37 on the 6-0 run. 
 
Texas A&M International's shooting went cold from deep, hitting just 2-for-11 from beyond the 3-point line after the break, while St. Edward's made the most of its nine second-half attempts from distance, hitting five. 
 
Courtney caught fire down the stretch, scoring 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting, including two three-pointers. SAM MCKINNEY recorded three steals, and Rowe remained steady with nine points and six rebounds. 
 
Texas A&M International had a late surge, scoring eight unanswered points to pull within four on Omarion Shackelford's 3-pointer with 5:49 remaining. Still, the Hilltoppers reeled off 12 consecutive points to blow the game open. 
 
Kay and Courtney hit 3-pointers, Rowe scored two inside, and Ramos scored a layup over five minutes to end the game. Courtney finished with 12 points on six shots with four rebounds. 
 
St. Edward's improves to 9-5 with a 3-2 conference record. The Hilltoppers will host Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sunday.