Box Score COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University men's basketball team trailed by just two at halftime and after a run in the second half by the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs were within six late before the Mountain Lions pulled away to take the 82-66 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Saturday night.

"Sloppy first half could have helped us if we could have protected the ball," first-year head coach Jeff Law said. "Their start to the second half was so strong, we just dug ourselves too big a hole to clumb out of."


WNMU (1-8, 1-5 RMAC) came out of the gates firing with Adam Kesler (Silver City, NM/Silver) drilling a three 14 seconds in and after Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) split a pair from the line, he converted a layup in transition off a pass from Terrez Scott (Santa Clarita, CA/Valencia) for a 6-0 lead two minutes in.


The Mustangs would continue to hold the lead throughout the first half, running the lead back up to five near the midway point of the half on a three ball from Edward Estavillo (Wilcox, AZ/Wilcox).


UCCS (7-3, 4-2 RMAC) would chip away and take their first lead with 7:23 to go in the half on a layup for a 19-18 advantage.
The lead stretched to six before WNMU closed the half with a flurry and Marcos Castrillo (San Francisco, CA/Pinole Valley) accounting for four of the final six points scored in the half leaving the Mountain Lions ahead by just two, 28-26, at the break.


UCCS opened the second stanza on a 5-0 run and would later get the lead as high as 17 with 11:12 to play, but the Mustangs would fight back.


Kesler started the rally with a three and after Estavillo hit a three in transition, Kesler added another three off the fast break to trim the deficit to eight with nine minutes to play. A few minutes later, Estavillo would swish his fourth trey of the night at the 6:15 mark leaving WNMU behind by just six, 65-59.


UCCS answered with a 5-0 run, but the Mustangs still had one run left in them with Terrez Scott (Santa Clarita, CA/Valencia) converting a three-point-play and later a jumper by Berry to make it 72-64 with 3:40 to play.


The Mountain Lions countered with free throws and a couple of transition baskets to extend the lead back to double-digits on their way to taking the victory.


Five Mustangs reached double-digits in points led by 14 each from Castrillo and Kesler. Castrillo also had a double-double with 11 rebounds. Berry and Estavillo added 12 points apiece, while Scott tallied 10.


Alex Welsh led UCCS with 21 points. UCCS caught fire in the second half shooting over 64 percent (20-31) from the field to end with a 52.5 percent clip (32-61) on the night. WNMU also shot well in the second stanza hitting on over 44 percent (16-36) to end just over 41 percent (26-63) for the night. WNMU made one more three-pointer 8-7, while UCCS held an 11-6 edge in free throws. UCCS held advantages in points in the paint (36-20), points off turnovers (15-5) and fast break (23-14), while WNMU held a 12-7 edge in second-chance points on six offensive rebounds.


WNMU will have next week off for the holiday break as they will return to action on Friday, Jan. 3 at home against Regis beginning at 7:30 p.m.