LAREDO, Texas — One game after making his mark with a one-man 8-0 run against Texas A&M-Kingsville, senior forward JAMISON KAY made the entire game his canvas, producing a 23-point, five-rebound, two-steal masterpiece in an 89-69 win over Texas A&M International. 
 
Aaron Perez was unstoppable early, scoring 10 of the Dustdevils' first 13 points in the first five minutes, draining one three-pointer, drawing a foul on another 3-pointer, followed by another pair of free throws, and a driving layup for the early 13-9 lead. 
 
St. Edward's leaned on seniors CONOR MCMANUS and BLAKE NIELSEN for its first 17 points, pushing past the Dustdevils for good on back-to-back 3-pointers from McManus, both assisted by Nielsen — drawing on the chemistry developed between the two teammates dating back to their time playing together in high school. 
 
Point guard RYDER BRADLEY broke in on the scoring run with a pair of driving layups, and Kay extended the lead with a layup through contact on a feed from Nielsen, completing the old-fashioned 3-point play. 
 
St. Edward's owned the paint on both sides of the court, outscoring A&M International 24-8 in the paint in the first half. Nielsen was a walking paint touch, scoring 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting and dishing out five assists in the first half. McManus scored all 10 of his first-half points in the opening stretch, hitting two 3-pointers and two layups. Kay added nine points on six shots, and the Hilltoppers took a 51-30 lead into the half.  
 
Perez's shooting percentages plunged after the opening salvo, finishing the half with 14 points on 4-for-11 shooting and two fouls with three turnovers. The Hilltoppers held the Dustdevils to 7-for-25 shooting in the first half, giving International a single lifeline at the free-throw line, where it shot 13-for-15. 
 
St. Edward's extended the lead as much as 26 and kept the margin in the 20s most of the rest of the way. Kay shouldered the bulk of the scoring load, scoring 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting, hitting both 3-point and free-throw attempts. 
 
Nielsen finished with 15 and 5, playing only six minutes in the second half with the Hilltoppers comfortably ahead. McManus totaled 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting, and ROBERT CONRAD scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out two assists off the bench. 
 
St. Edward's outscored Texas A&M International 23-11 in points off turnovers and more than doubled the Dustdevils in the paint at 46-22. Jamyier Patton and Caylen Goff Brown led Texas A&M International with 17 each in a game the Dustdevils converted at a higher percentage from the 3-point line (40 percent) than the field (38.2 percent). 
 
The Hilltoppers return home after another Thursday-Saturday sweep to face St. Mary's University on Monday in the Battle of the Saints.