Wolves Lose Final Road Game

EDINBURG, Texas – The Rio Grande Valley Vipers raced past the Iowa Wolves, 133-115, on Saturday night at Bert Ogden Arena. 

Four players scored in double figures for Iowa (4-26) in its final road game of the season. Minnesota assignee Leonard Miller finished with a team-high 20 points while Babacar Sane had 19 points off the bench. Milled added 11 rebounds and six assists. Two-way center Jesse Edwards scored 16 points and Amari Bailey chipped in 15 points off the bench. 

Rio Grande Valley (18-13) was led by a pair of its two-ways, Jack McVeigh and David Roddy, who scored 33 and 28 points, respectively. McVeigh and Roddy each made eight three-pointers as the Vipers made 24-of-59 (40.7%) from beyond the arc. The team’s other two-way, N’Faly Dante had 16 points and Nate Williams also had 16 coming off the bench.

Rio Grande Valley turned a one-point halftime deficit, 62-61, to Iowa into a 28-point lead going into the final quarter. The Vipers blitzed the Wolves in third quarter outscoring them, 47-18, behind nine three-pointers made as a team. Iowa had a better performance in the final quarter outscoring Rio Grande Valley, 35-25, but the deficit was too much for the team as the Wolves lost their 12th straight game.

The first two quarters of play were exciting with the two teams battling back-and-forth and staying close to each other. Iowa’s largest lead was just five while Rio Grande Valley led by six at one point. They traded baskets in the final minutes of the second quarter with Iowa holding a slim lead of 62-61 at the break. 

The two teams each received big scoring boosts in the first two quarters from their respective benches. The Vipers’ reserves chipped in 23 total points while Wolves’ reserves had 21 combined points. 

In the game, Iowa shot 52.1% from the floor as a team but struggled from three-point range going 5-of-25 (20%) and at the free throw line, making just 6-of-13 (46.2%).

Iowa returns to Wells Fargo Arena on Monday and Tuesday for a back-to-back series against the Texas Legends in the first of the team’s final four games of the season. Both games against the Legends will tip at 6:30 p.m. CT. Fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs through the second quarter on Monday night.