PHOENIX – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's basketball team came back from a 15-point deficit and junior Daylen Williams hit a game-winning layup with 1.4 seconds remaining to beat the Grand Canyon University Lopes 77-76 on Wednesday at GCU Arena.

The Vaqueros (13-14, 5-10 WAC) have now won three-straight games at GCU Arena.

The Vaqueros trailed 76-75 with 25 seconds remaining. Senior Justin Johnson drove to the hoop, and although his layup attempt was off the mark, junior Ahren Freeman tipped the ball to Williams who hit the game-winning layup.

Johnson led the Vaqueros with 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Will Johnston scored 22 points. Junior Ahren Freeman scored 14 points with four rebounds. Graduate student Dima Zdor scored eight points with five rebounds. Williams finished with seven points and 12 rebounds.

Gabe McGlothan led the Lopes (16-10, 8-6 WAC) with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Ray Harrison scored 16 points with six rebounds. Chance McMillian scored 10 points with four rebounds and four assists.

The Lopes took their largest lead of the game at 42-27 with 3:19 remaining in the first half. Johnston hit a 3 and a jumper and Freeman made a layup as part of a 7-1 run to bring the Vaqueros within 43-34 at halftime.

Johnston opened the second half with a 4-point play to make the score 43-38. Then, after the Lopes pushed their lead back up to 10, Williams hit a 3 and Johnson made three free throws to power a 6-2 run to bring the Vaqueros with 50-44.

The Lopes led 54-46 with 16:07 remaining. That’s when a layup by sophomore Derrius Ward and a Johnston 3 sparked a 15-2 run to give the Vaqueros their first lead, 61-56, six and a half minutes later.

The Lopes came back to tie the game at 65 at the 6:57 mark before a Johnston 3 restored the Vaqueros’ lead. Then, with the game tied at 68, a Freeman layup put the Vaqueros up 70-68.

One basket later, with the game tied at 70, Johnson made a layup and Johnston nailed a 3 to put the Vaqueros up 75-70 with 2:21 remaining.

The Lopes scored the next six points to regain the lead at 76-75 in the final minute, setting up Williams’ game-winner.

The Lopes led 6-0 out of the gate while going up 10-4. Freeman answered with a layup and then Johnston nailed a 3 to bring the Vaqueros with 10-9. The Vaqueros were again within one on a Zdor layup that made the score 12-11 before five-straight Lopes points made it a six-point game.

Johnston brought the Vaqueros within 17-14 with a 3 and then a Zdor layup made the score 19-16, but the Lopes responded with a 13-4 run to go up 32-20.