LAREDO, Texas — In a game that saw neither team lead by more than seven points until the final minute, the Newman men's basketball team wasn't able to withstand a late push as Texas A&M International pulled away for a 77-69 victory Thursday night in Heartland Conference action.

KEY SEQUENCE

The Jets (6-10, 4-3 Heartland) had it down to a one-possession game inside of four minutes to play, but the Dustdevils (12-6, 6-2 Heartland) managed to net six of the final seven points and play some tough defense to pull away in what was a tight game throughout.

HOW IT HAPPENED

-TAMIU went up by one thanks to a 3-pointer just over three minutes into the game, but Newman and Taylor Schieber responded with a 6-0 run — with two baskets and two free throws from the senior — to grab a lead that they would hold for much of the first half.

-The Jet lead remained at least three, bouncing as high as seven at 16-9 after an Allen Wilson 3-pointer, for nearly five minutes. A 6-0 burst from the Dustdevils managed to give them the lead by one at the midway mark of the half, but a Schieber triple turned it right back into a Newman advantage at 23-21.

-From that point, there were four more ties and another two lead changes in the final seven minutes of the period. TAMIU kept its momentum going into the second half, capping a 9-0 run at the 18:33 mark to make it 42-36.

-A Schieber 3-pointer and a Grant Meininger three-point play each gave Newman a one-point lead, but a Dustdevil bucket with 13:23 to play pushed the hosts back in front 50-48, and they would hold the lead the rest of the way.

-The lead hovered around three or four points for most of the final quarter of the contest until TAMIU could close it out with a bullish finish.

LEADERS

Newman
Points: Schieber 22. Rebounds: Kevin Bryant 7. Assists: Bryant 3. Steals: Schieber 2. Blocks: Jacob Birnbaum 2.

Texas A&M International
Points: Bunja Yaboe, Jordan VanDeKop 16. Rebounds: VanDeKop 8. Assists: Denzel Bellot 4. Steals: Fabian MacDonald 2. Blocks Yaboe 2.

NOTES

-Schieber netted at least 20 points for the fourth time in eight conference games.

-Nwosu poured in 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting, and put in another perfect night at the free throw line (6-of-6). The senior added five rebounds and two assists as well.

WHAT'S NEXT

Newman closes its road weekend with a stop to face St. Mary's at 3 p.m. Saturday.