Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – Another ranked team entered and another left with a defeat.


The Western New Mexico University men's basketball team continued their hot play at home and clutch plays against a pair of ranked teams this weekend, as they once again delivered in a 74-70 victory over No. 14 Adams State University Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


This one, just like the night before against No. 20 Fort Lewis College, would come down to the final buzzer.


With Adams State University (ASU) ahead, 68-67, with two minutes to play in the game,   Western New Mexico University (WNMU) would find big plays once again when they needed them most.


WNMU (9-12, 8-9 RMAC) quickly pushed the tempo following a made free throw, with Merle Branch (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) taking the ball deep inside the ASU (14-5, 12-4 RMAC) defense and finding Daryl Littleton (Tucson, AZ/Palo Verde High School) for a layup for a 69-68 lead. This wouldn't be the last time Littleton would come up with a big play.


The Grizzlies came back down and looked to counter with a three, but it was well defended and the shot missed with the Mustangs collecting the rebound. Chad Carter (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge High School) tried to push the ball, but was fouled sending him to the line with 1:15 to play. He would convert one of two for a 70-68 lead.


ASU went to Kaimyn Pruitt on the next possession and he went for a deep fade away shot that was blocked by Carter and he also collected the rebound giving WNMU the ball with just under a minute to play.


Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School) went for a three as the shot clock was expiring and as the shot caromed off the rim, Littleton skied for a tip-in to jump the lead to four, 72-68, with 26 seconds to play.


With the crowd in a frenzy, ASU elected to hurry the ball up the court without a timeout and a rushed three missed, but a rebound and layup kept the Grizzlies within range at 72-70 with 20 seconds to play.


Out of a timeout, WNMU in-bounded against a full court press, but the pass went off Andy Sohlich (Battle Creek, MI/St. Phillip Catholic Central High School) and out-of-bounds giving the ball back to ASU with 17 seconds. The Grizzlies in-bounded to point guard John Jackson and as the seconds ticked by, he began to make his move. With five seconds to go, he went around a screen and who was there waiting? None other than Littleton who not only knocked the ball away, but he stole the ball and beat everyone down the floor for a gym-shaking dunk that came as the buzzer sounded to give WNMU the amazing 74-70 victory.


The Mustangs built a nine-point lead in the early parts of the first half, with Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) and Carter connecting on layups for a 19-10 lead with 9:31 to play before halftime.


After ASU would cut the deficit down to five on a couple of occasions, WNMU exploded near the five-minute mark with a 8-2 spurt that was triggered by Chad Arechiga (Tucson, AZ/Ironwood Ridge) who tallied a pair of free throws and following a Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) three, Arechiga hit his own three off the fastbreak to boost the lead to its largest of the night at 11, 32-21, with four minutes to go before the break.


The Grizzlies roared back before the break leaving WNMU ahead by six, 39-33.


WNMU would keep the lead eight minutes into the second stanza when a three from Justin Kauffman gave ASU a 47-46 advantage.


The teams would trade baskets over the next several minutes, as the biggest lead for either team would be three before WNMU took their four-point lead a pair of times in the final minute.


Carter tied with teammate Suarez for the lead in scoring, as both went for 17. Carter also tallied a double-double with a game-high 11 rebounds. Sohlich came off the bench with 10. Littleton tallied nine points and four rebounds. Jackson led ASU with 16.


ASU shot 45.5 percent from the field (25-55), while WNMU hit right at 40 percent (22-55). ASU made eight three-pointers to four for WNMU, while WNMU held a big advantage in free throws, making 26 to 12 for ASU.


The wins this weekend were big in several areas. WNMU, now 7-1 at home, improves more importantly to 8-9 in the RMAC. That puts them in a three-way tie for seventh in the conference along with New Mexico Highlands and Western State. The top eight teams make the conference tournament, as the three teams at 8-9 are two games ahead of the next closest teams at 6-11 in Regis and Colorado Christian. Colorado Mines in sixth is just a half-game ahead of WNMU at 8-8 after a loss at Regis Saturday night. They will play their suspended game against Metro State on Sunday. CSU-Pueblo is in fifth, just a game-and-a-half ahead at 9-7. The top four teams remain the same but in different positions, Metro State (1, 16-0), Colorado Mesa (2, 13-4), Adams State (3, 12-4) and Fort Lewis (4, 12-4).  


WNMU will look to continue their hot streak at home this coming Friday when they will play another big game this time against Western State Colorado University with game time set for 5:30 p.m. inside Drag's Court. Western State Colorado University won both games this weekend to remain in the tight race.