Kingsville - Sophomore guard Bryce Smith hit the game-winning layup with less than a second remaining as Texas A&M-Kingsville edged Angelo State, 58-56, Saturday from the Steinke Physical Education Center.

Smith's clutch bucket capped off a dominant effort on the glass for the Javelinas (9-9, 6-4 LSC), who out-rebounded the Rams 39-24 to pull out the victory over Angelo State (12-10, 3-8 LSC). The guard finished with six points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block in 29 minutes of action.

"It takes grit, it takes trust, it takes understanding of what we're trying to do," head coach Omar Gonzalez said. "We let the players make plays and they made a big play."

Allen Singleton led the way offensively for Texas A&M-Kingsville, pouring in a team-high 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field while connecting on 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The guard also added four steals, two assists, and a rebound in 27 minutes of work.

The Javelinas found themselves in a back-and-forth battle all night long, with six lead changes and five ties throughout the contest. Angelo State held the lead for 20:12 of the game compared to just 16:42 for the Javelinas, but Texas A&M-Kingsville made sure to have the lead when it mattered most.

The final seconds proved to be dramatic. With the Javelinas clinging to a 56-54 lead, a foul sent Angelo State's Quadir Pettaway to the free throw line. Pettaway calmly sank both attempts to tie the game at 56-all with just nine seconds remaining.

Needing an answer, the Javelinas put the ball in Smith's hands. The sophomore took the inbound pass, drove to the basket after faking a pass, and converted the go-ahead layup with less than a second on the clock to seal the victory for the Javelinas.

Jamier Turner added five points and seven rebounds for Texas A&M-Kingsville, while Caleb Carr chipped in seven points and three boards. Daniel Sanchez provided a spark off the bench, shooting 3-of-4 from the field including a perfect 1-of-1 from deep.

"Every night is gonna be someone different that's gonna make an impact play," Gonzalez said. "I'm just proud that we continue to find ways to win no matter what the score is."

For Angelo State, Quadir Pettaway and Ashraf Barsham tied to lead all scorers with 19 points apiece, with Barsham adding seven rebounds in the losing effort.

Texas A&M-Kingsville looks to continue its momentum as it prepares for its next conference matchup on the road against Western New Mexico Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Fans can watch the game on FloCollege or follow along at @JavelinaMBB on X.