Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – Having fought back to within two early in the second half, the Western New Mexico University men's basketball team was within striking distance when Colorado State University-Pueblo came back with a 21-0 run on their way to taking the 88-69 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Friday night.
The first half was just the start CSU-Pueblo (6-4, 3-2 RMAC) wanted racing out to a 16-1 lead five minutes in. They would push the lead to 18 at 23-5 with 13 minutes to play in the opening half.
WNMU (0-9, 0-5 RMAC) began to work their way back into it with
Terrez Scott (Santa Clarita, CA/Valencia) heating up from everywhere on the floor. Scott drilled a three and would add to that a dunk, another three-pointer and then another dunk off his own steal near the end of the half to put the Mustangs down by just four, 43-39, at halftime. Prior to Scott's big run at the end of the half,
Gavin Wood (Florence, AZ/Florence ) hit a pair of three's and
Tyler Shea (Rancho Cucamunga, CA/Alta Loma) hit two from the line.
Scott ended up with 17 in the first half on 7-of-9 shooting which included a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point land. He also added a pair of assists and two steals in playing all 20 minutes. Wood added nine with a pair of three's and 3-of-4 shooting at the foul line. Devonte Malcolm came off the bench to lead CSU-Pueblo with nine points.
Wood trimmed the deficit to three two minutes in with a jumper after he collected the offensive rebound. Wood later dialed long distance with a three-pointer making it a 49-47 ThunderWolves lead at the 17:37 mark.
After that, CSU-Pueblo launched a 21-0 run over the next six-plus minutes to put the game out of reach.
Scott ended up leading all-scorers going for 24 points. He also added seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in playing all 40 minutes. Wood tallied 14 points and seven rebounds, while Shea had 14 and a team-high eight boards.
Stevan Radakovic led five ThunderWolves in double-figures with 15 points. CSU-Pueblo ended up taking 47 three-pointers, making 14 (29.8) and shot 43.6 percent (34-78) from the floor. WNMU made 19-of-54 (35.2) from the field, 9-of-22 (40.9) from three and held a healthy advantage at the foul line going 22-of-27 (81.5), while CSU-Pueblo attempted just eight, making six (75).
WNMU will face UC-Colorado Springs, No. 4 team in the nation Saturday night beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Mountain Lions defeated New Mexico Highlands, 99-71, earlier tonight.
