Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University men's basketball team rode an early lead and held it throughout the rest of the contest on their way to defeating Western State Colorado University, 88-74, in a big Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Friday night.


Western State Colorado University (WSCU) took an early 4-2 lead nearly two minutes in and it would turn out to be their last lead of the night.


Western New Mexico University (WNMU) came back with an 11-2 run over the next five minutes to open a 13-6 lead. During the run, Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School) came through with a pair of fastbreak layups, Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) hit a foul shot, while Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) posted a layup and massive dunk, before Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) finished the run with a pair from the free throw line. Carter wasn't finished with his high flying act, as he later pushed the lead to 10, 18-8, with a big dunk around a pair of defenders on the fastbreak at the 12:27 mark.


WNMU (10-12, 9-9 RMAC) kept pushing the tempo, eventually raising the lead as high as 17 at 31-14 following a pair of free throws by Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) at the 6:29 mark.


WSCU (9-13, 8-10 RMAC) would trim four points off the lead leaving WNMU ahead, 41-28, at halftime.


The Mustangs would jump the lead to its largest of the night at 18, 55-37, following two foul shots from Suarez with 13:49 to play in the game.


The Mountaineers refused to go away, cutting the lead down to seven at one point, 63-56, with 7:22 to play, but the Mustangs had an answer.


Branch started what would turn out to be a 7-0 run with a pair of foul shots. Carter added to it with a corner three and Suarez closed the run with a nice layup through the defense putting WNMU ahead, 70-56, with 5:45 to play.


From that point on, WNMU would keep the lead in double digits going on to take the win by 14.


Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) led all scorers going for 24 points, as it was his sixth 20-plus point night of the season.  He also led the team in rebounds with nine. Suarez (14), Andy Sohlich (Battle Creek, MI/St. Phillip Catholic Central High School) (13), Brelan Berry (Chandler, AZ/Basha High School) (11) and Littleton (10) all scored in double figures. Terrence Boyd led WSCU with 16 off the bench. WNMU made 48.1 percent from the field (25-52), while WSCU connected on 25-of-65 (38.5). WSCU made one more three-pointer (6-5), while WNMU made 33 free throws to 18 for WSCU. The game featured 47 fouls and 74 foul shots in the contest.


With WNMU, New Mexico Highlands and Colorado Mines all winning Friday, they remain tied for the sixth spot in the conference. CSU-Pueblo at 9-8 remains just a half-game ahead of the group for the fifth slot.


WNMU will take their three-game winning streak into a matchup with Colorado Mesa University Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Colorado Mesa suffered a tough, 74-70, defeat at New Mexico Highlands Friday evening.