Latest local news, weather, high school sports in the Rio Grande Valley

EDINBURG, TX -- The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs men’s basketball team blew out the Great West Conference regular season champion New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders 76-59 to clinch the No. 2 seed in the GWC Tournament on Saturday at the UTPA Fieldhouse.

Brandon Provost led three Broncs (16-15, 5-3 Great West Conference) in double-figures scoring with a game-high 24 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 5-of-7 from behind the arc, plus 7-of-9 from the line with five rebounds. Aaron Urbanus scored 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-7 from behind the arc, plus 2-of-2 from the line with six rebounds and seven assists. Jesus Delgado scored 10 points with three rebounds and three assists.

Overall, the Broncs went 11-for-19 (.579) from behind the arc, tying for their second most three-pointers in a game this season. Overall, the Broncs shot .511 from the field.

Two players reached double-figures for the Highlanders (16-12, 6-2 GWC), including PJ Miller, who scored 12 points, and Chris Flores, who scored 11 points.

The Highlanders shot .375 from the field and .267 (4-for-15) from behind the arc.

The Highlanders had the early lead at 15-11 on a Quentin Bastian jumper with 13:12 remaining in the first half. Urbanus responded with a three-pointer 25 seconds later to spark a 22-3 run over the next 9:52 in which the Broncs held the Highlanders without a basket. Josh Cleveland scored eight of his nine points during the run.

The Highlanders’ next basket was a Mitch Farrell three with 2:47 to go, but a Provost three and a Justin Leathers jumper made it a 27-6 run and a 38-21 Broncs advantage going into the half.

The Highlanders got as close as 12 in the second half, at 57-45 with 9:30 remaining after a Daquan Holiday three-point play, but a Provost three kicked off a 9-3 run to push the game out of reach.

The Broncs open up the Great West Conference Tournament against third-seeded and host Chicago State on Friday at 5:00 p.m. at Jones Convocation Center.