Box Score HILO, HAWAII – It came down to the last few possessions and after having a chance to take the lead late, a missed jumper off a turnover and an offensive foul gave the ball back to Hawaii-Hilo and they were able to convert the free throws over the final seconds to defeat the Western New Mexico University men's basketball team, 80-75, Sunday night in the season opener for the Mustangs.


After pulling to within a point, 76-75, with 18 seconds to play the Mustangs brought the press and came away with a steal. Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) knocked the pass away right to Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School), but his running jumper in the lane caromed off the rim and eventually went out-of-bounds off the Vulcans (2-1) to keep the possession with WNMU with seven seconds to play.


Following the timeout, WNMU went to Carter, but as he made his move in the lane, he was called for an offensive foul turning the ball back over the HH.


The Vulcans took advantage, making a pair from the line to expand the lead to three and then a steal on the following Mustang in-bounds pass led to another foul and two more free throws by HH to lead to the final score of 80-75.


HH led from the opening tip until midway through the first half, as they had a lead as large as six at the 13:15 mark, 13-7. WNMU came back with a three from TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) and then another jumper by Riley made it a one-point contest. The Mustangs took their first lead on their next trip down the floor, as Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) nailed a jumper at the 10:50 mark to give WNMU a 14-13 lead.


The teams would trade leads before Riley once again caught fire, hitting a three to tie the game, then after the Vulcans made a basket, he connected on another three, before drilling another one to push the lead to four for WNMU, 25-21, with seven minutes to play before halftime.


The lead would reach as high as nine, with Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) making a three-pointer with 1:13 left in the first half for the 38-29 advantage.


HH would post the final two points on free throws to leave WNMU in front, 38-31 at halftime.


The Mustangs would get the lead as high as 10 a minute-and-a-half into the second stanza on a jumper by Littleton for the 43-33 lead.


After the Vulcans trimmed the lead back down, the Mustangs jumped the lead back to 10 on a jumper by Branch, followed by a trey from Carter at the 10:16 mark to make it 59-49.


HH kept chipping away, getting the lead down to one several times before breaking through with a three-pointer to tie the game for just the second time at 69 with 2:19 to play, which was followed by another three with 45 seconds left for a 72-69 lead.


The Mustangs would get the deficit back down to one three times in the final minute, as Riley connected on four free throws, followed by a pair from Luttrell with 18 seconds to play which led to the exciting final seconds of action.


The Vulcans made their final eight free throws, after connecting on their first two with 34 seconds left in the game.


Riley had a huge game, going for 33 points, as he made 10-of-18 from the field, including five three-pointers (5-7) and eight free throws (8-12). He also had four rebounds, two assists and three steals in 39 minutes of action.


Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) and Littleton added 10 points apiece, with Suarez making two three-pointers, along with two assists and a steal, while Littleton was 5-of-12 from the floor, along with five rebounds and two steals.


Carter led the team in rebounds with seven, to go along with eight points.


The Vulcans shot 48 percent from the field (24-50), while the Mustangs were just a shade over 41 percent (23-56). The Mustangs also made two more three-pointers, going 9-of-18, while the Vulcans made 7-of-16.


WNMU and HH will matchup again on Tuesday night with tipoff set for 10:30 p.m. (MST).