SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University men's basketball team had Western State Colorado University right where they wanted them or so they thought. Holding a six-point lead with just over three minutes to play, the Mountaineers went on an 11-2 run to storm back and take the 64-61 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Saturday night.
In a back-and-forth battle that witnessed each team seemingly trying to run away with the game, once again came down to the final possession for WNMU.
The Mustangs (0-8, 0-3 RMAC) have now played four games that have been decided by the final possession.
With WSCU (2-7, 1-2 RMAC) clinging to a one-point lead with six minutes to play in the game, the Mustangs flipped the script and looked ready to close out their first victory of the season.
Willie McCray (Clovis, NM/Clovis/Westwind Prep Academy ) boosted WNMU back in front with a strong drive and layup. After a steal by McCray,
Adam Kesler (Silver City, NM/Silver) worked his way in the paint to hit a tough jumper and move the lead to three at 56-53.
Emery Range (Grand Rapids, MI/Willow Canyon) came through with the defensive play on the next Mountaineer possession as his steal setup his transition layup to move the lead to five. He was also fouled in the process and would hit the foul shot to move the lead to six at 59-53 with 3:39 to play.
A full timeout followed by WSCU and they responded. Out of the break, a big offensive rebound and tip-in by CJ Schutt helped trigger a 7-0 run. With the Mountaineers ahead by one after the run, Range came through with a strong jumper in the paint after
Steven Loucks (Yuma, AZ/Cibola) saved the possession with an offensive rebound to move WNMU to the 61-60 lead with 1:23 to play.
The Mountaineers went with a three-pointer on the next trip down, which was missed, but on the scramble for the loose ball, James Willis collected the rebound for WSCU. After swinging the ball around, Ben Beauchamp was fouled sending him to the line with 35 seconds to play. Beauchamp would hit both moving the Mountaineers ahead at 62-61.
The Mustangs went for the shot inside with Kesler getting in the paint, but his layup spun out and Robert Romero grabbed the rebound for WSCU and was fouled with 11 seconds to play. He also hit both foul shots moving the lead to 64-61.
With time ticking down, McCray swung the ball around to Range on the wing and his game-tying three point shot was just a little too strong.
Carter Aby (San Tan Valley, AZ/Combs) secured the rebound, but there was no time left for another shot leaving the Mountaineers with the victory.
WNMU seized momentum early on opening up a five-point lead at 8-3 on a layup by
Brandon Williams (Long Beach, CA/Los Angeles Prep). The Mountaineers answered with a 6-0 run to take their first lead of the night at 9-8.
The teams would trade leads over the next several minutes before a layup by Tom Folsom pushed WSCU in front for the rest of the half. Following Folsom's made layup, the Mountaineers closed the half on a 13-8 run to take a 29-22 lead into the locker room.
WSCU stretched their lead to the largest of the night a minute into the second half as a Jame Thomas layup moved them in front by 11, 33-22. WNMU didn't get rattled as they answered with an 8-0 run over the next several minutes to get back to within three. Range started the run with a jumper in the paint and after he hit a foul shot and a layup,
Brandon Tanter (Long Beach, CA/Los Angeles Prep) dialed long distance to move WNMU to within three at 33-30 with 16:49 to play.
The Mountaineers kept the lead until a layup by McCray with 4:50 to play moved WNMU in front at 54-53 setting up the back-and-forth finish.
Range led the Mustangs with a game-high 16 points. He also tied for the team-high in rebounds with six, as
Daniel Van Den Kerkhof (New Zealand), making his first collegiate start, also had six rebounds. McCray also reached double-figures off the bench with 10 points. Aby just missed double-figures with nine points.
Romero led four Mountaineers in double-figures with 15 points. Beauchamp (12), Folsom (11) and Danny Hopkins (10) also tallied double-digits.
Both teams shot well from the field with WSCU holding a slight advantage connecting on 25-57 (43.9) to 24-56 (42.9) for WNMU. WNMU held a 4-2 edge on three-pointers, while WSCU made three more (12-9) free throws.
WNMU held a strong advantage on fastbreak points (10-3) and bench points (28-21). The game featured 15 lead changes and five ties.
WNMU will hit the road this coming week as they will play at South Dakota School of Mines on Friday at 7:30 p.m. before finishing the trip on Saturday at Black Hills State beginning at 6 p.m.
