[UPDATE 6:08 P.M.]: In a news release Thursday evening, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Friday night’s matchup at Bert Ogden Arena between UTRGV men’s basketball and Grand Canyon University has been postponed..
The postponement comes after Grand Canyon cited COVID-19 protocols affecting their men’s basketball program.
Friday was supposed to mark a season’s return for the Vaqueros to Bert Ogden Arena after they beat Texas A&M Corpus Christi, 68-64, on Dec. 10, 2020, as part of the South Texas Showdown.
UTRGV is still scheduled to play Grand Canyon University at 7 p.m. Saturday but the status of the game will be determined on Friday.
UTRGV men’s basketball (8-3, 2-0) returns to the hardwood at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg versus Grand Canyon University (12-3, 6-0) in a battle for first place in the WAC standings.
The Vaquero have been sidelined the past two weeks and missed out on a non-conference match against Tarleton State due to a positive COVID-19 test of a Tier I member within their program.
A bout with the reigning WAC Champions, New Mexico State, was also cancelled due to a positive test of COVID-19 within the Aggies’ program.
On the flipside, the Antelopes have played eight games in the month of January that was capped with a series sweep of New Mexico State Friday and Saturday to end the Aggies’ 31-game conference winning streak.
In a weekly news conference via Zoom, UTRGV Head Coach Lew Hill spoke to the frustration of having to suspend basketball-related activities as the team was headed on an upward trajectory.
“You never wanna stop anything that is going good,” Hill says. “We were playing well, we were feeling good, getting healthy and then the stoppage came. That’s out of our control, it’s happening all around the world and we are not exempt from that.”
With a matchup that could have major implications in the standings on the road to a regular season title, Hill is thankful to return to action and wants his team to focus on what they can control.
“Trap, get out in transition and just play our game,” Hill says. “We got to do what we do. We can’t let them [GCU] dictate the pace and this is a game of pace.”
This game will be highlighted by the matchup at the point guard position between Grand Canyon’s Javon Blacksher Jr. and UTRGV’s Javon Levi.
When asked about the matchup Hill is confident in Levi’s ability to slow down Blacksher citing his experience and his here-and-now mentality.
“Javon is a senior, four years, he’s played against some of the best guards in the country, he is not worried about one particular player,” Hill says. “He’s a player [Blacksher] but Javon is not shaking in his pants like, ‘oh, I’m playing against him.’ I think Javon is going to play whoever he is playing against. Whoever is the next opponent that’s who he is looking forward to playing against.”
The game will also feature a heavyweight clash in the post between the Antelopes’ Asbjørn Midtgaard and Alessandro Lever and the Vaqueros’ big men Sean Rhea and Jeff Otchere.
Rhea expressed his excitement for facing off versus arguably the best big men in the conference in a postgame press conference via Zoom after a 72-65 victory versus Dixie State back on Jan. 16.
“That’s what I’m here for. I’m not running from nobody; I want to play them,” Rhea says. “That’s what I do, I train, me and Javon {Levi] work, that’s all we are locked into. GCU, New Mexico State but it’s UTRGV now.”
The Vaqueros were without key players Quinton Johnson II, Marek Nelson, Anthony Bratton and Jamal Gaines in their recent outing against Dixie State.
Hill says the possibility of having a complete roster for the first time all season is still in question.
“I don’t know that till we play. It’s a day to day to minute deal,” he says.
To listen to the game live, visit utrgvradio.com or download the RadioFX app on the Apple Store or Google Play and search Vaquero Radio.
Twitter: @Radio_Rubio
