Box Score LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University men's basketball team fought back from down 20 at halftime to get within seven in the second half before New Mexico Highlands went on their way to defeating the Mustangs, 106-93, Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


NMHU (12-14, 10-12 RMAC) opened on a 4-0 run before WNMU (9-17, 9-13 RMAC) fought back to tie the game at six following three-pointers from Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) and TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School).


Following a three by Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) to leave the Cowboys ahead 12-11 at the 13:35 mark, NMHU went on a run pushing the lead to 10 on a 9-0 spurt for a 21-11 lead midway through the first half.


The Cowboys would remain in control for the remainder of the half to take a 50-30 lead into the locker room.


The Mustangs opened the second half with a good run of their own, as trailing 52-32, Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) started the rally with a layup, which Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) added a layup and after Luttrell posted a tip-in and a three, it was down to an 11-point deficit.


Carter closed the run with a layup at the 16:28 mark to get WNMU within nine, 52-43, when NMHU would stretch the lead back to 14 over the next few minutes.


A Branch free throw at the 11:36 mark would get WNMU as close as they would get the rest of the way, 66-59, as the Cowboys pushed the lead back to 11 and would hold the lead in double-digits throughout the remaining minutes of the game.


Carter led the Mustangs with 27 points, along with five rebounds. Riley, in his final game as a Mustang, tallied 19, while Luttrell added 18 and 13 from Branch.


Aaryon Williams led NMHU with 17 points and 16 rebounds.

 
Western New Mexico vs New Mexico Highlands
2/25/12 4:00 p.m. at Las Vegas, N.M. John A. Wilson Complex
At Las Vegas, N.M. John A. Wilson Complex
NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS 106, WESTERN NEW MEXICO 93
WESTERN NEW MEXICO (8-16; 8-12 RMAC)
Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 9-13 5-6 27; TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) 6-16 4-7 19; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) 6-9 3-3 18;
Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) 3-9 7-10 13; Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) 3-6 3-3 9; Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 1-5 1-2 3;
Edward Estavillo (Willcox, AZ/Willcox High School) 0-1 2-2 2; Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School) 1-3 0-0 2; Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 0-5 0-0
0. Totals 29-67 25-33 93.
NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS (12-14; 10-12RMAC)
Billy Austin 7-13 3-4 18; Aaryon Williams 5-12 7-8 17; Momcilo Latinovic 5-7
3-4 16; Derek Freeman 4-5 4-4 12; Ryan Gonzales 4-9 0-0 12; Mike Moody 3-6
3-3 10; Aaron Shepard 3-3 2-2 9; Marquis Whitt 0-1 5-6 5; Lionel Coleman 2-5
0-0 5; Augustus French 1-2 0-0 2; Daniel Gutierrez 0-0 0-0 0; Dominic Baca
0-0 0-0 0; Matthew Brito 0-1 0-0 0; Micah Shepard 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 34-66
27-31 106.
Western New Mexico............   30   63  -   93
New Mexico Highlands..........   50   56  -  106
3-point goals--Western New Mexico 10-23 (Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) 4-6; Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School)
3-5; TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) 3-7; Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 0-2; Chris Mason (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 0-3), New Mexico Highlands
11-19 (Ryan Gonzales 4-8; Momcilo Latinovic 3-4; Billy Austin 1-2; Mike
Moody 1-1; Lionel Coleman 1-2; Aaron Shepard 1-1; Micah Shepard 0-1). Fouled
out--Western New Mexico-None, New Mexico Highlands-None. Rebounds--Western
New Mexico 36 (TJ Riley (Tyler, TX/Chapel Hill High School) 6; Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) 6), New Mexico Highlands 42 (Aaryon
Williams 16). Assists--Western New Mexico 15 (Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) 5), New Mexico
Highlands 17 (Aaryon Williams 4; Aaron Shepard 4). Total fouls--Western New
Mexico 24, New Mexico Highlands 24. Technical fouls--Western New
Mexico-None, New Mexico Highlands-None. A-1850