The visiting Western New Mexico men's basketball team held off a late Incarnate Word rally to take an 80-71 decision Saturday night in Heartland Conference action at the UIW McDermott Center.
The Mustangs (5-18, 5-4 HC) with the win will remain no lower than third in the conference race to the post-season tournament. The top four teams qualify for the league's year-ending tournament and coming into tonight WNM was tied for third with St. Mary's and Oklahoma Panhandle. Incarnate Word remains winless in the Heartland falling to 0-9 and 8-16 overall.
Western New Mexico scored the game's first basket, and with the exceptions of three ties early, led the entire contest. After the last deadlock at 8-8, WNM went on a 14-4 run to get the lead to double digits at 22-12, leading to its 40-29 halftime margin. At the break, the Mustangs were shooting 48 per cent from the floor compared to Incarnate Word's 24 per cent.
The lead remained consistent between as few as nine and as many as 13 until there was 9:10 remaining in the game. At that point, down 60-46, Incarnate Word made a last push to cut it to four at 64-60 with 5:36 on the clock. In that stretch, freshman forward Marcus Whitfield had a three-pointer followed by two free throws and a layup from junior center Ray Peterson. Junior guard Mikyl Bradshaw capped it with a three.
Then, fate turned against the Cardinals as immediately there was a missed layup leading to a three-pointer by Mike Sells of Western New Mexico. That five-point exchange got the lead to 67-62 when Sells hit another bomb and that pretty much was it for UIW.
Matt Enriquez topped the scoring for WNMU, tallying 25 points. Other Mustangs in double-figure scoring were Mike Sells with 20 and Trey Clarkson with 18. Clarkson had seven boards to lead the Mustangs in that category.
Bradshaw topped the Cardinals with his 17 points including 7-7 at the line. His main help came from the 14 points scored by senior guard Demareon Johnson.
Western New Mexico's next game is Saturday night, Feb. 18, at St. Edward's.
