Last season Tech defeated UTRGV 78-68, tying the all-time series 1-1. The Vaqueros took the first meeting back in 1975, 80-73. This is the fifth in a series of previews of the Yellow Jackets’ non-conference opponents.
- Location: Edinburg, Texas
- Conference: Western Athletic Conference (WAC)
- Home arena: UTRGV Fieldhouse (2,500)
- 2017-18 Record: 15-18, 6-8 in the WAC (5th)
- Postseason: Lost to New Orleans in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), 77-74
- NCAA postseason appearances (last): One, (1968 – Division II)
- All-time series record: 1-1
- Head coach: Lew Hill (third season)
- Starters returning/lost: 4/1
- Top scorer returning: Terry Winn III, F, 6-7 (9.6)
- Top rebounder returning: Terry Winn III (6.8)
Quick preview for 2018-19
Losing its leading scorer, UTRGV looks to Terry Winn this season for offense and rebounding efforts. The rising senior averaged 9.6 ppg last season, good for second on the team and led in rebounding with 6.8 boards per game. Head coach Lew Hill adds six newcomers to his squad after graduating four seniors last season. The Vaqueros start off their non-conference slate with similar opponents to Tech, facing Lamar, East Carolina and Prairie View A&M.
Quick recap of 2017-18
UTRGV saw a 15-18 campaign end with its first postseason berth in 37 years, reaching the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). The Vaqueros fell to New Orleans 77-74 in the first round as nine players got on the board and four recorded double figures. Before participating in the CBI, UTRGV lost to Seattle in the WAC tournament, 77-60. The 15 victories in the 2017-18 season is the most since the Vaqueros’ 2012-13 campaign.
UTRGV won three times as many Western Athletic Conference (WAC) contests, including a sweep of defending WAC Champion CSU Bakersfield, and a win over one of the top contenders in the conference, Grand Canyon. Leading scorer for the Vaqueros, senior Nick Dixon, averaged 20.3 ppg on the season. Dixon become the second player in program history to score more than 600 points in a season twice.
Greatest Program Accomplishment
Before the Vaqueros were UTRGV, they were known as Pan American College. The program’s greatest accomplishment came during the 1962-63 season when the Broncs were crowned NAIA National Champions. Pan American was ranked 12th in the nation and considered one of the hottest teams in NAIA. The Broncs were unfazed by their first three opponents, blitzing past Peru State (83-48), Stetson (64-41) and Northern Michigan (99-73). They made it all the way to the National Championship against No. 10 Western Carolina and took down the Catamounts 72-63. The 1962-63 Pan American squad is one of just three Texas Universities to win a Collegiate Basketball National Title.