Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University men's basketball team shot well from the field and played solid defense on their way to defeating Colorado School of Mines, 77-66, Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action inside Drag's Court.


Colorado School of Mines (CSM) opened the game with a four-point lead on a couple of occasions and would get the lead as high as five at the 9:04 mark of the first half when Western New Mexico University (WNMU) began to take over.


Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) started the run scoring two of his game-high 23 points on a jumper. Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) added to that a layup and Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) pushed WNMU (2-3, 1-0 RMAC) to a one-point lead with his jumper at the 7:50 mark for a 23-22 lead.


CSM (3-2, 0-1 RMAC) would answer to take a three-point lead, but the Mustangs responded with Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) and Suarez combining for three free throws to tie the game at 30 with four to go before halftime.


Carter would then bring the crowd to an ear-piercing level with a thunderous dunk on a fastbreak to give WNMU what would turn out to be the lead for good at 32-30.


Berry tipped the lead to four with his tip-in a minute later for a 34-30 lead with two to go before the break.


Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School)'s three with over a minute to go before halftime would be the final basket as the Mustangs would take a 37-32 lead into the locker room.


The momentum continued in the second half, with Berry tallying a layup and then a big throw-down of his own on the fast break to give WNMU a 41-32 lead two minutes into the second half.


After CSM posted a free throw, WNMU took off with Suarez navigating the paint for a layup and after he hit two from the line, he concluded his own run with a three for a 48-33 lead four minutes in.


The lead would get as high as 18 a couple of times with the last coming at 8:51 to play on a jumper by Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School).


The Orediggers would trim the lead to nine, 73-64, with two minutes to play, but the Mustangs came through with clutch free throws down the stretch for the victory.


Suarez just missed out on a double-double as he also dished out nine assists which also was a game-high in addition to his 23 points. Berry posted a double-double going for 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Branch tallied 12 points and Carter was also in double-figures with 11.  


WNMU shot well from the field, connecting on 27-of-60 (45) while holding CSM to a 38.3 percentage (23-60).The Mustangs also held reigning RMAC Offensive Player of the Week Trevor Wages in check holding him to five points and eight rebounds.


WNMU will return to action Saturday night against Colorado Christian with game time set for 7:30 p.m. inside Drag's Court.


WESTERN NEW MEXICO 77, COLORADO MINES 66
COLORADO MINES (3-2, 0-1 RMAC)
Brian Muller 8-19 3-4 22; Luke Meisch 3-10 4-5 10; Nico Mucci 3-7 0-0 7;
Garrett Loew 3-9 1-2 7; Trevor Wages 2-5 1-2 5; Trey Winbush 1-4 1-2 4;
Cesar Mapeli 1-2 2-6 4; Sam Rusk 2-2 0-0 4; Ruben Jackson 0-2 3-4 3; Bryant
Elrick 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-60 15-25 66.
WESTERN NEW MEXICO (2-3, 1-0 RMAC)
Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 6-12 9-10 23; Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) 6-10 1-4 13; Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) 3-8 6-11
12; Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 5-14 0-1 11; Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School) 3-5 1-3 7; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 2-6
0-0 6; Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) 1-1 0-0 3; Andy Sohlich (Battle Creek, MI/St. Phillip Catholic Central High School) 1-2 0-0 2; Nate Murdock (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle High School) 0-0 0-0 0;
Edward Estavillo (Wilcox, AZ/Wilcox) 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 27-60 17-29 77.
Colorado Mines................   32   34  -   66
Western New Mexico............   37   40  -   77
3-point goals--Colorado Mines 5-19 (Brian Muller 3-10; Nico Mucci 1-1; Trey
Winbush 1-2; Ruben Jackson 0-1; Garrett Loew 0-1; Luke Meisch 0-4), Western
New Mexico 6-20 (Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 2-4; Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 2-5; Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) 1-1; Chad
Carter 1-5; Andy Sohlich (Battle Creek, MI/St. Phillip Catholic Central High School) 0-1; Edward Estavillo (Wilcox, AZ/Wilcox) 0-2; Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) 0-2).
Fouled out--Colorado Mines-Brian Muller, Western New Mexico-None.
Rebounds--Colorado Mines 41 (Trevor Wages 8), Western New Mexico 39 (Brelan
Berry 13). Assists--Colorado Mines 9 (Sam Rusk 2; Luke Meisch 2), Western
New Mexico 18 (Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 9). Total fouls--Colorado Mines 24, Western New
Mexico 19. Technical fouls--Colorado Mines-None, Western New Mexico-None.
A-625