https://goutrgv.com/news/2020/2/27/mens-basketball-falls-at-csu-bakersfield.aspx Feb. 27, 2020 – BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's basketball team fell to the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners 79-59 on Thursday at the Icardo Center. UTRGV (12-16, 7-7 WAC) is now tied with Grand Canyon (7-7 WAC) and a half game behind Seattle U (7-6 WAC) in the race for the No. 2 seed in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. UTRGV visits Grand Canyon on Saturday at 7 p.m. while Seattle U visits California Baptist an hour later. Senior Lesley Varner II led the Vaqueros with 18 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Junior Javon Levi scored 15 points with three rebounds, three assists and one steal. Junior Chris Freeman finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Shawn Stith led the 'Runners (12-17, 6-8 WAC) with 21 points. Taze Moore scored 18 points with four rebounds and three assists. De'Monte Buckingham scored 15 points with five rebounds. Czar Perry finished with 12 points, three assists and three steals. The 'Runners jumped out to a 21-5 lead over the first 10:15. Varner and Levi responded with consecutive jumpers as the Vaqueros scored six of the next eight points. The Vaqueros got as close as 12 at 34-22 on a pair of free throws by junior Rob McClain Jr. with 2:01 remaining in the first, but the 'Runners scored the final 10 points of the half to go up 44-22. Levi started the second half with a three as the Vaqueros scored the first eight points to pull within 44-30. Then, with the score 50-33, Varner made a jumper and Freeman hit a layup to bring the Vaqueros within 50-37. The Vaqueros were again as close as 14 at 55-41 on a Levi layup with 11:02 to go, but the 'Runners scored the next six points as part of a 12-4 run to restore their 22-point lead and push the game out of reach.