Rio Grande Valley 120, Albuquerque 113

Hidalgo, TX; March 31 -- The Rio Grande Valley Vipers proved that their two earlier wins over the Albuquerque Thunderbirds were no fluke, as they defeated the visting T-Birds for the third time, 120-113, on Monday at Dodge Arena.

The Vipers' Kris Collins tied his career high with 31 points, as he chalked up his fifth straight 20-plus point game. Stanley Asumnu recorded his second straight double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

The D-League’s leading scorer Desmon Farmer added 24 points for the Vipers while Trent Strickland, in his first game back from an injury, scored 17 and added six boards off the bench. Ivan Johnson scored 17 despite being in foul trouble for most of the game.

Will Conroy and Julius Hodge led the T-Birds with 16 points. Conroy also dished out six assists in the loss. Phoenix assignee Alando Tucker scored 13 points and hauled down five rebounds coming off the bench.

Albuquerque surprised Rio Grande Valley as Thunderbrids coach Jeff Ruland started four players who had seen little or no action in the previous meetings between the two teams. The move proved to work initially, as the T-Birds took a 59-51 halftime lead.

The Vipers trailed by as many as 12 in the second half, but a furious offensive fourth quarter led by Collins allowed the Vipers to regain the lead and secure the victory. The Vipers outscored the T-Birds, 39-27, in the final quarter to seal the win.

The Vipers have only one game left on their inaugural season schedule. The Vipers will have to wait 11 days before their final game when they face the Tulsa 66ers at Dodge Arena on April 11. Tip-off for the final game is set for 7:00 pm.