Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) took over with the Western New Mexico University men's basketball trailing four minutes into the second half, he reeled off seven straight points which ended up putting the Mustangs ahead for good on their way to a 81-64 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory over Adams State College Friday night inside Drag's Court.


ASC (9-2, 6-2 RMAC) held a one-point lead, 44-43, with 16:29 left to play in the game when Riley caught fire to spark WNMU (4-9, 4-5 RMAC).


Riley begin hitting a jumper from the elbow extended and then added to that another pull up jumper from about the same spot to give WNMU a one-point lead, 45-44.


After the Grizzlies drilled a three to go in front by two, Riley answered with a three of his own to put WNMU in front for good, 48-47.


Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) and Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) added to the onslaught of Mustang points, with each connecting on a pair of free throws to push the advantage to five, 52-47, at the 14:12 mark.


The pressure kept coming from the Mustangs, as a trey by Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) from the corner on the next trip down the court brought the packed crowd to their feet leaving WNMU up eight.


The lead would reach 11 moments later on a three, this time by Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) for the 62-51 lead at the 9:17 mark.


WNMU kept on the gas pedal, pushing the lead to 16 with four minutes to play on a three by Carter off an assist by Riley.


ASC would make a vain attempt to get back into it, trimming the deficit to 10, but the damage was done, as Riley connected on two freebies, which Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) followed with a pair of free throws and then Riley sealed the victory with a thunderous steal and dunk that moved the lead back to 16 with 1:40 to play.


The game started well for ASC, as they opened an 8-2 lead four minutes in.


The Mustangs quickly responded, with Mason laying it in for two off the fastbreak and then Carter drained two three-pointers around a free throw by the Grizzlies that had WNMU in front, 11-9, at the 14:37 mark.


The Mustangs kept the pressure coming, with Carter hitting another jumper in front of a three by Mason for a 16-9 lead.


WNMU would hold the lead throughout the first half, as the Grizzlies would get the deficit down to three a couple of times, including one final time at the halftime buzzer as Deray Wilson connected on a half court bank shot leaving WNMU up 35-32 at the break.


The Mustangs would keep the lead until just over two minutes into the second half when a dunk by Jack Osburn put ASC ahead, 40-39.


After Berry made a jumper at the 17:11 mark and ASC answered with two free throws, that's when Riley began to take over with his big seven point spurt to give WNMU a lead they wouldn't relinquish.


Riley and Carter each scored in the 20's, with Riley going for 21, along with six assists and four steals, Carter added 20 and seven rebounds. Off the bench, Mason chipped in with 11 points in just 17 minutes. Berry and Suarez added eight points apiece.


The defense was turned up for both teams, as there were a combined 57 turnovers, with ASC committing 31. The Mustangs shot almost 52 percent from the field, making 29-of-56 shots, including 10 from downtown.


WNMU will look to continue their climb up the conference standings when they host Fort Lewis College Saturday night with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. inside Drag's Court. New Mexico Highlands edged FLC, 96-94, Friday night.
 

Adams State vs Western New Mexico
01/06/12 7:37 p.m. at Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
At Silver City, NM (Drag's Court)
WESTERN NEW MEXICO 81, ADAMS STATE 64
ADAMS STATE (9-2, 6-2 RMAC)
Jack Osborn 9-10 1-3 19; Kaimyn Pruitt 2-2 4-8 8; Deray Wilson 3-11 1-5 8;
Robby Hanzlik 3-7 0-0 8; Jamiko Verner 2-10 2-2 6; Shayar Lee 2-6 1-2 5;
Marqus Richards 1-5 2-2 4; John Jackson 1-3 1-2 3; James Lake 1-1 0-0 3;
Vinicius Novaes 0-0 0-0 0; Shaheed Young 0-1 0-0 0; Ron Fore 0-0 0-0 0;
Ozelle Jamestown 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-57 12-24 64.
WESTERN NEW MEXICO (4-9, 4-5 RMAC)
TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) 8-17 4-4 21; Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 7-13 2-4 20; Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 4-5 2-2 11; Juan
Suarez 2-4 2-4 8; Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) 3-4 2-2 8; Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) 2-4 0-1 6; Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School)
2-4 0-0 4; Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School) 1-1 0-0 2; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 0-3 1-3 1; Everett Duis (El Paso, TX/El Dorado High School)
0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-56 13-20 81.
Adams State...................   32   32  -   64
Western New Mexico............   35   46  -   81
3-point goals--Adams State 4-16 (Robby Hanzlik 2-4; James Lake 1-1; Deray
Wilson 1-4; Shayar Lee 0-3; John Jackson 0-2; Jamiko Verner 0-2), Western
New Mexico 10-23 (Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 4-8; Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) 2-4; Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 2-3; TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School)
1-3; Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 1-2; Everett Duis (El Paso, TX/El Dorado High School) 0-1; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 0-2). Fouled
out--Adams State-None, Western New Mexico-None. Rebounds--Adams State 37
(Jack Osborn 11), Western New Mexico 32 (Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 7). Assists--Adams
State 13 (Jamiko Verner 4), Western New Mexico 15 (TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) 6). Total
fouls--Adams State 21, Western New Mexico 19. Technical fouls--Adams
State-TEAM, Western New Mexico-None. A-1023