Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – In a back-and-forth game throughout, the Western New Mexico University men's basketball team made a late run and fell just a point short, 70-69, against No. 12 Colorado School of Mines Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


WNMU (3-9, 3-5 RMAC) came out strong, scoring the first 10 points three minutes in. Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) opened the scoring with a pair of three-pointers for a 6-0 lead. TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) added to that a jumper in the paint and then after hitting two free throws, the Mustangs had the 10-point spread.


CSM (10-1, 6-1 RMAC) fought back, going on a blistering 14-1 run over the next four minutes to open up a 14-11 lead.


The Mustangs answered, as a layup on the fastbreak by Riley put WNMU back in front, 15-14, which Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) followed with a three to open an 18-14 lead at the 10:42 mark.


Mason opened up a stretch scoring eight straight points, as he followed that with another three-pointer and a layup at the 8:46 mark to give WNMU a 23-18 lead.


WNMU didn't let up, Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School) added a jumper off a pass from Mason, then four points from Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) left the Mustangs with a big 11-point lead, 29-18, with six minutes to play before halftime.


The Orediggers only chipped two points off the score before halftime thanks to a three-pointer out near mid-court by Riley at the buzzer sending the Mustangs into the locker room ahead, 39-30.


CSM came out on fire to open the second stanza, scoring the first seven points to pull within two just two minutes in.


After Crane drilled his third trey of the night to push the lead back to five, CSM tallied the next five points to tie the game at 42 for the first time.


WNMU responded, with Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) connecting on a three on the next trip down and later as CSM pulled back to within one, Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) got loose for a layup and then a thunderous dunk off a pass from Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) to push the lead back to five, 49-44, at the 13:55 mark.


WNMU would keep the lead all the way up to the 8:05 mark when the Orediggers pushed back in front on a three-pointer.


Although the Mustangs wouldn't lead the rest of the way, they fought back to erase a four-point deficit by tying the game at 61 after Littleton was good on two foul shots.


CSM answered with an 8-0 run over the next three minutes to open a 69-61 lead with 1:57 left to play.


The Mustangs didn't go away, as Carter answered with a layup and then Mason split a pair from the line to trim the lead to five, 69-64, with a minute to play.


CSM turned the ball over on their next possession, as a charging call gave the ball back over the WNMU with 43 seconds to play.


The Mustangs were then persistent on their next possession, as three missed shots were all followed up with offensive rebounds before Riley finally put home a layup to make it 69-66 with 27 seconds to play.


The Orediggers then missed the front end of a one-and-one to allow Riley to go almost coast-to-coast for a quick layup and leave WNMU within one, 69-68, with eight seconds left.


Another foul came from the Mustangs and again CSM struggled at the line, hitting just one of two leaving the door open for WNMU.


On the ensuing in-bound, Riley was fouled on a blocking call to put him at the foul line with a chance to tie the game with five seconds left.


After swishing the first one, the second one was a little too strong, bouncing out and the rebound was pulled down by CSM with four seconds left.


They would end up missing both shots, but after WNMU collected the rebound and hit the outlet man which was Riley, he could only advance to half-court, and his last-second three attempt fell short giving the Orediggers a 70-69 victory.


Riley led all-scorers with 22 points, going 7-of-14 from the field. Mason and Crane added nine points apiece, while Berry chipped in eight.


WNMU will remain home for the upcoming games as they will host Adams State Friday night with tipoff set for 5:30 p.m. inside Drag's Court.
 

Colorado Mines vs Western New Mexico
12/31/11 7:35 p.m. at Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
At Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
COLORADO MINES 70, WESTERN NEW MEXICO 69
COLORADO MINES (10-1, 6-1 RMAC)
Dale Minschwaner 5-12 3-4 13; Trevor Ritchie 5-7 2-5 13; Brett Green 4-9 3-4
12; Chris Goutama 4-8 0-0 10; Brian Muller 3-6 0-0 9; Trevor Wages 3-8 0-4
6; Nico Mucci 1-1 3-4 5; Luke Meisch 1-1 0-0 2; Jacob Case 0-3 0-0 0. Totals
26-55 11-21 70.
WESTERN NEW MEXICO (3-9, 3-5 RMAC)
TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) 7-14 6-8 22; Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 3-5 1-2 9; Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) 3-6 0-0 9; Brelan
Berry 4-8 0-0 8; Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 2-4 2-2 6; Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School) 1-2 3-4 5; Merle
Branch 1-1 1-2 3; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 1-5 0-0 3; Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 1-6 0-0 2; Everett
Duis 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 24-53 13-18 69.
Colorado Mines................   30   40 -   70
Western New Mexico............   39   30 -   69
3-point goals--Colorado Mines 7-14 (Brian Muller 3-5; Chris Goutama 2-3;
Brett Green 1-2; Trevor Ritchie 1-1; Jacob Case 0-3), Western New Mexico
8-18 (Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) 3-4; TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) 2-4; Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 2-3; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 1-3;
Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 0-2; Everett Duis (El Paso, TX/El Dorado High School) 0-1; Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 0-1). Fouled out--Colorado
Mines-Trevor Wages, Western New Mexico-None. Rebounds--Colorado Mines 30
(Trevor Wages 9), Western New Mexico 35 (Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 7). Assists--Colorado
Mines 11 (Trevor Ritchie 4; Dale Minschwaner 4), Western New Mexico 14 (TJ
Riley 3; Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 3; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 3). Total fouls--Colorado Mines 18,
Western New Mexico 17. Technical fouls--Colorado Mines-None, Western New
Mexico-None. A-979
Colorado Mines ranked No. 12