Hometown Western New Mexico showed the best of times and the worst of times within Friday's 40-minute see-saw buzz saw battle with the University of Nebraska-Kearney, but mighty momentum found the purple and gold in the final seconds as the Mustangs stole a 87-79 thriller from the Lopers. Kearney led by as much as 21 points in the game. The win got WNMU to 6-12 (6-5 RMAC, while the stunned Lopers fell to 6-8 (4-6 RMAC).
The game was really three or four or five or maybe even six mini games. The Mustangs led the first five minutes of the game, but Kearney took control at the 13-minute mark in the opening half and opened up a 21-point lead before a
Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ, Ironwood Ridge High School) steal and dunk trimmed the Loper lead to 19 at the intermission.
Apparently WNMU coach
Mark Coleman warmed up the seats in the Mustang locker room as the squad came out of the locker room en fuego and trimmed UNK's lead to just six after five minutes of play. Kearney called two timeouts in that short period before righting the ship to get their margin to a more comfortable 15-point lead at the 7:55 mark. Even as WNMU trimmed the Kearney advantage, the Lopers remained patient, made free throws, and held their composure.
Then the bottom fell out for the visitors.
Key baskets by WNMU's
Andy Sohlich (Battle Creek, MI, St. Phillip Catholic Central High School, Western Texas Community College; Eldon Academy Prep),
TJ Riley (Tyler, TX, Chapel Hill High School, Lamar University) and an extremely gutsy performance by Carter put WNMU near the lead, and this time the Lopers couldn't hold the Mustangs off.
It was an incredible game to watch, no matter who your team was.
Carter and Riley led WNMU with 22 points. Carter notched a double-double as he pulled 13 rebounds from the taller Lopers. Sohlich and
Chuck Kempf (Chicago, IL, Lakes High School, Trinidad Junior College) added 13 each.
UNK was led by Mike Dentlinger's 22-point night.
