SILVER CITY, N.M. – Facing an 11-point halftime deficit, the Western New Mexico University men's basketball team fought back to within one in the second half before Black Hills State University held on for the 59-54 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Friday night.

WNMU (1-14, 1-10 RMAC) had the start they wanted with Terrez Scott (Santa Clarita, CA/Valencia) and Gavin Wood (Florence, AZ/Florence ) connecting on three-pointers to open a 6-2 Mustang lead nearly two minutes in.

BHSU (6-11, 4-6 RMAC) worked their way back into the game as they tied the score at eight before pushing the lead to seven at 15-8 near the midway point of the opening half.
A Marcos Castrillo (San Francisco, CA/Pinole Valley) jumper a minute later had the Mustangs to within five, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the half with BHSU closing the final 8-plus minutes on a 10-4 run to take a 25-14 halftime lead.

The Yellow Jackets continued to control the pace early in the second half, leading by as many as 17 with 16:32 to play when WNMU began to make a comeback.

Tyler Shea (Rancho Cucamunga, CA/Alta Loma) helped bring the deficit to nine on a jumper at the 11:24 mark. Steven Loucks (Yuma, AZ/Cibola) and Wood followed with baskets to trim the lead to five. Scott got loose for a jumper at the 9:25 mark that had the Mustangs trailing by just three at 37-34.

Adam Kesler (Silver City, NM/Silver) brought WNMU even closer with a pair of foul shots with just under six minutes to play had the deficit at one, 44-43.

The Yellow Jackets went back up seven with a 6-0 run, but WNMU wouldn't go away. Castrillo and Loucks combined for four points that had the Mustangs to within three at 50-47 with two minutes to play.

Still down by four with a minute to play, Scott went the length of the floor and hit the shot while being fouled. He would connect on the free throw leaving WNMU down by one, 53-52, with 47 seconds to play.

BHSU then came through with clutch shots as a layup by Wyatt Krogman in traffic pushed the lead back to three with 35 seconds to play. He was also fouled and hit the foul shot to move the lead to four. Scott answered with another fastbreak layup, but again BHSU was ready with a transition layup and another foul that moved the lead to five.

Scott led all-scorers with 23 points, he also added four assists. Brody Brisk led BHSU with 18 points. BHSU made 44 percent (22-50) from the floor, while WNMU made 20-of-58 (34.5). Each team made two three-pointers and BHSU held a 13-12 edge at the foul line although they attempted 11 more (28-17) than WNMU.

WNMU will host Chadron State Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles lost at the buzzer, 98-95, against New Mexico Highlands earlier tonight.