Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University men's basketball team fought back from an early eight-point deficit to defeat Colorado Christian University, 72-59, Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action inside Drag's Court.


CCU (1-9, 0-6 RMAC) came out ready behind the sharp shooting of Luke Gilliam who connected on several three-pointers in the early going to give the Cougars a 16-8 lead just over seven minutes into the opening half.


WNMU (3-8, 3-4 RMAC) answered back, with Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) and TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) tallying baskets to trim the lead to four.


Following another Gilliam trey, Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) came away with five quick points, dashing to the hoop for two and then dialing long distance to leave WNMU behind by just two, 19-17, at the 9:24 mark.


A Suarez jumper on the next trip down the floor tied the game, but Gilliam got loose again for another deep ball to help the Cougars regain the lead, 22-19, with 6:33 to play before halftime.


After Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School) muscled inside for a quick hoop, Suarez again took over, first collecting the defensive board, and then going coast-to-coast for a hoop and the harm. He added the free throw to put WNMU in front 24-22.


The Mustangs kept the pressure up for the remainder of the half, with Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School)'s layup with 41 seconds to play in the half giving the Mustangs an eight-point lead, 34-26, at halftime.


The second half was much of the same, as Riley drilled a tough jumper in the paint to open the second stanza and then a Riley three gave the Mustangs a 13-point lead, 39-26, just over three minutes in.


Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) then stepped up, as off a steal by Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School), Carter raced down the floor and off a perfect pass from Crane threw it down for a big slam to bring the crowd to their feet and push the lead to 15 forcing a timeout by the Cougars.


The timeout didn't stop the WNMU momentum, as Crane smoked a three from downtown to push the lead to the largest of the night of 18, 44-26.


CCU made one last run with just over five minutes to play, Gilliam drilled a three to cut the Mustang lead to seven, 53-46, but WNMU answered with a 6-0 run to put the game out of reach for good.


Several players came up big for the Mustangs on the night, as Riley and Carter tied for the team lead in points with 17 apiece, while Carter tallied a double-double with 13 rebounds. Suarez also found his way into double-figures with 11 points. Crane added nine and Luttrell seven.


WNMU was hot from the field, hitting on 50 percent (23-46) of their shots, including a 6-of-12 effort from three-point land. They also cashed in at the foul line, making 20-of-26 (76.9).


WNMU will look to keep the momentum going inside Drag's Court when they will host No. 12 Colorado School of Mines at 7:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve night, as admission is also free to all.


Colorado Christian vs Western New Mexico
12/30/11 7:45 pm at Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
At Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
WESTERN NEW MEXICO 72, COLORADO CHRISTIAN 59
COLORADO CHRISTIAN (1-9, 0-6 RMAC)
Luke Gilliam 6-10 0-0 18; Abram Ziemer 5-12 0-0 12; Daniel Pilkington 4-6
1-2 10; Josh McBeth 4-10 1-2 10; Michael Stamer 2-8 0-0 4; Kyle Weaver 1-3
2-2 4; Tony Black 0-3 1-4 1; Chris Morgan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-52 5-10 59.
WESTERN NEW MEXICO (3-8, 3-4 RMAC)
TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) 5-8 5-8 17; Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 5-8 7-7 17; Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 4-9 2-3 11; Ryan
Crane 2-2 3-4 9; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 3-3 1-2 7; Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) 1-5 2-2 4; Everett
Duis 1-2 0-0 3; Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School) 1-3 0-0 2; Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) 1-4 0-0 2; Chris
Mason 0-2 0-0 0; Edward Estavillo (Willcox, AZ/Willcox High School) 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-46 20-26 72.
Colorado Christian............   26   33 -   59
Western New Mexico............   34   38 -   72
3-point goals--Colorado Christian 10-22 (Luke Gilliam 6-8; Abram Ziemer 2-5;
Josh McBeth 1-6; Daniel Pilkington 1-2; Kyle Weaver 0-1), Western New Mexico
6-12 (Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) 2-2; TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) 2-3; Everett Duis (El Paso, TX/El Dorado High School) 1-2; Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 1-3; Chris
Mason 0-1; Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 0-1). Fouled out--Colorado Christian-Josh McBeth;
Michael Stamer, Western New Mexico-None. Rebounds--Colorado Christian 28
(Michael Stamer 5; Kyle Weaver 5), Western New Mexico 28 (Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 13).
Assists--Colorado Christian 16 (Michael Stamer 6), Western New Mexico 11
(Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) 2; Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 2; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 2; Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 2). Total
fouls--Colorado Christian 22, Western New Mexico 14. Technical
fouls--Colorado Christian-None, Western New Mexico-None. A-935