Vaqueros Edge Lions in Close Contest
Monday, January 19, 2026, 7:30 PM ET · UTRGV Fieldhouse
UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros 68, SE Louisiana Lions 65, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won SE Louisiana Lions vs UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros?
UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros beat SE Louisiana Lions 68-65 at UTRGV Fieldhouse on January 19, 2026.
Who was favored in SE Louisiana Lions vs UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros?
UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -238 (about 70% implied). The favorite won.
In a tightly contested matchup, the UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros narrowly defeated the SE Louisiana Lions with a final score of 68-65. This game, held at the UTRGV Fieldhouse, highlighted the competitive nature of both teams as they vied for crucial conference standings. The Vaqueros improved their record to 9-11, while the Lions fell to 5-15.
The Vaqueros entered the game with a home record of 8-11, showcasing a recent form of 4-6 over their last ten games, including a one-game winning streak. They averaged 73.0 points scored per game while allowing 68.4 points during this stretch. Their last outing before this game was a victory against the McNeese Cowboys, where they won 79-76. In contrast, the Lions struggled with a record of 2-8 in their last ten games, currently on a three-game losing streak. They averaged 66.2 points scored and allowed 71.9 points, with their most recent game resulting in a 56-68 loss to the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders.
At home, the Vaqueros had a record of 3-4, while the Lions managed only a 1-4 record on the road. This home advantage played a significant role in the outcome of the game. Historically, the two teams have faced each other twice in the 2025 season, splitting the series with each team winning once. The Vaqueros won their last meeting on March 4, 2025, with a score of 77-76, while the Lions had previously defeated the Vaqueros 79-75 on January 7, 2025.
In terms of injuries, the block does not provide specific details, indicating that both teams likely fielded their available rosters. The market set the odds with DraftKings, favoring the Vaqueros at -5.5 on the spread, with a total set at 135.5. The moneyline odds were -238 for the Vaqueros and +195 for the Lions, reflecting the expectations of the market leading into the game.
The conditions during the game were typical for indoor basketball, with no adverse weather factors impacting play. Fans witnessed a competitive atmosphere, particularly in the second half, which saw several lead changes and critical scoring plays that kept the outcome uncertain until the final moments.
Key moments in the second half included Filip Brankovic's 8-foot hook shot, which brought the Lions within four points, and a crucial dunk by Kwo Agwa that extended the Vaqueros' lead. The game concluded with Julien Gomez making a free throw to secure the three-point victory for the Vaqueros.
Overall, this matchup showcased the resilience of the Vaqueros, who managed to hold off a determined Lions squad, emphasizing the importance of home court advantage in college basketball.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | RGV -5.5 | 135.5 o -112 / u -108 | SE Louisiana Lions +195 · UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros -238 |
Leaders
- PointsMarvin McGhee III19UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros
- AssistsJaylen Washington6UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros
- ReboundsMarvin McGhee III11UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros
- PointsJeremy Elyzee14SE Louisiana Lions
- AssistsEthan Pickett5SE Louisiana Lions
- ReboundsIsaiah Gaines11SE Louisiana Lions
Recent form
UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros
Last 10: 4-6Streak W173 scored · 68.4 allowed per game3-4 at home
- W79-76vs McNeese CowboysJan 17
- L63-64at Northwestern State DemonsJan 13
- L69-77at East Texas A&M LionsJan 10
- W80-67vs Incarnate Word CardinalsJan 6
- L59-63vs Texas A&M-Corpus Christi IslandersJan 3
- L69-71vs Nicholls ColonelsDec 31
- L69-85vs LSU New Orleans PrivateersDec 30
- W109-51vs College of Biblical Studies AmbassadorsDec 20
- W83-72at Lamar CardinalsDec 17
- L50-58vs UT Arlington MavericksDec 12
SE Louisiana Lions
Last 10: 2-8Streak L366.2 scored · 71.9 allowed per game1-4 away
- L56-68at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi IslandersJan 17
- L76-79vs LSU New Orleans PrivateersJan 13
- L61-73at McNeese CowboysJan 10
- W60-52vs Lamar CardinalsJan 6
- L63-73vs Stephen F. Austin LumberjacksJan 3
- L70-79at Incarnate Word CardinalsDec 30
- L65-78at LSU TigersDec 20
- L69-70vs East Texas A&M LionsDec 16
- W74-71at Houston Christian HuskiesDec 13
- L68-76vs Northwestern State DemonsDec 7
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen F. Austin | 28-6 | - | 20-2 |
| McNeese | 28-6 | 1 | 19-3 |
| UT Rio Grande Valley | 19-14 | 6 | 14-8 |
| Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 18-15 | 7 | 13-9 |
| LSU New Orleans | 15-18 | 8 | 12-10 |
| Nicholls | 14-19 | 8 | 12-10 |
| Houston Christian | 12-20 | 12 | 8-14 |
| Northwestern State | 10-22 | 12 | 8-14 |
| Incarnate Word | 12-19 | 13 | 7-15 |
| Lamar | 12-19 | 13 | 7-15 |
| East Texas A&M | 11-21 | 14 | 6-16 |
| SE Louisiana | 9-22 | 14 | 6-16 |
Box score
| Stat | SE Louisiana Lions | UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 23-57 | 22-52 |
| Field goal % | 40 | 42 |
| Three-pointers | 7-23 | 7-27 |
| Three-point % | 30 | 26 |
| Free throws | 12-18 | 17-25 |
| Free throw % | 67 | 68 |
| Rebounds | 35 | 37 |
| Offensive rebounds | 9 | 9 |
| Defensive rebounds | 26 | 28 |
| Assists | 18 | 17 |
| Steals | 5 | 4 |
| Blocks | 2 | 1 |
| Turnovers | 10 | 10 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 2 | 1 |
| Technical fouls, total | 2 | 1 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 10 | 15 |
| Fast-break points | 11 | 9 |
| Points in the paint | 30 | 22 |
| Fouls | 23 | 16 |
| Largest lead | 3 | 11 |
| Lead changes | 6 | 6 |
| Time in front | 6 | 89 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half30-35Ethan Pickett makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half30-37Jaylen Washington makes 6-foot floating jump shot (Zae Blake assists)
- 2nd Half32-37Ethan Pickett makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half34-37Jeremy Elyzee makes driving layup (Isaiah Gaines assists)
- 2nd Half34-38Koree Cotton makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half34-39Koree Cotton makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half36-39Isaiah Gaines makes 3-foot dunk
- 2nd Half36-42Jaylen Washington makes 25-foot three point jumper (Kwo Agwa assists)
- 2nd Half39-42Kyle Edison makes 24-foot three point jumper (Ethan Pickett assists)
- 2nd Half39-44Julien Gomez makes driving layup (Koree Cotton assists)
- 2nd Half41-44Isaiah Gaines makes 7-foot hook shot (Ethan Pickett assists)
- 2nd Half41-45Koree Cotton makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half41-46Koree Cotton makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half42-46Ethan Pickett makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half43-46Ethan Pickett makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half46-46Jaiden Lawrence makes 22-foot three point jumper (Ethan Pickett assists)
- 2nd Half48-46Isaiah Gaines makes 2-foot dunk (Jaiden Lawrence assists)
- 2nd Half48-49Marvin McGhee III makes 25-foot three point jumper (Always Wright assists)
- 2nd Half49-49Jeremy Elyzee makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half49-51Filip Brankovic makes driving layup (Jaylen Washington assists)
- 2nd Half49-53Koree Cotton makes layup
- 2nd Half49-54Koree Cotton makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half49-56Filip Brankovic makes 8-foot floating jump shot (Jaylen Washington assists)
- 2nd Half51-56Isaiah Gaines makes 8-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half51-57Koree Cotton makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half51-58Koree Cotton makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half51-61Marvin McGhee III makes 25-foot three point jumper (Filip Brankovic assists)
- 2nd Half52-61Jeremy Elyzee makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half53-61Jeremy Elyzee makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half55-61Jeremy Elyzee makes layup
- 2nd Half56-61Jeremy Elyzee makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half59-61Jaiden Lawrence makes 23-foot three point jumper (Peter Hemschemeier assists)
- 2nd Half59-63Filip Brankovic makes 8-foot hook shot (Jaylen Washington assists)
- 2nd Half59-64Filip Brankovic makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half60-64Ethan Pickett makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half60-66Kwo Agwa makes 1-foot dunk (Jaylen Washington assists)
- 2nd Half63-66Peter Hemschemeier makes 24-foot three point jumper (Ethan Pickett assists)
- 2nd Half63-67Jaylen Washington makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half65-67Jeremy Elyzee makes 3-foot alley oop dunk (Peter Hemschemeier assists)
- 2nd Half65-68Julien Gomez makes free throw 1 of 2
Win probability
Above the line favours UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros, below favours SE Louisiana Lions.
Venue
- UTRGV FieldhouseEdinburg, TX
- Attendance937
- OfficialsAnthony Jordan, Randal Anders, Nick Atwood
Elsewhere
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- Tennessee's Ralph Scott to have knee surgery, out at least 6 months
- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond