Mustangs Overcome Double-Digit Deficit to Sneak Past New Mexico Highlands

Men's Basketball 11/10/2018 12:40:00 AM

Mustangs Overcome Double-Digit Deficit to Sneak Past New Mexico Highlands

Box Score Albuquerque, NM-- The Western New Mexico University men's basketball team came back from 17 points down in the second half to defeat New Mexico Highlands University on Friday night in the Rudy Davalos Center on the campus of the University of New Mexico.

The scoring was tight early on until the Mustangs managed to open up a 26-18 lead after senior Leston Gordon (Tunapuna, Trinidad and Tobago/Tunapuna Government Secondary) knocked down three straight shots in the paint. Highlands would answer back, narrowing the gap to one at 33-32 with just over three minutes to play in the first half when Gerad Davis came up with a steal and converted the layup in transition. Some tough full-court press defense from the Cowboys that led to offense enabled them to go into halftime leading the Mustangs, 41-34

Western would continue to struggle with the smothering Cowboys defense to open the second half, and Highlands would extend their lead to as much as 17 points at the 16:00 media timeout, 57-40. The Mustangs scored quickly out of the timeout on a Gordon jump shot, and from that point on it was all Western. The Cowboys would see their lead slip from 17 to only nine points in less than six minutes of play when senior Willie McCray (Clovis, NM/Clovis/Westwind Prep Academy) knocked down two free throws. Some sloppy play on offense by Highlands enabled the Mustangs to continue cutting down the lead until McCray connected on a three-point jump shot at the 4:05 mark to tie the game at 71-71. A put-back dunk by Gordon would give the Mustangs their first lead of the half, and a corner three by junior C.J. Vanbeekum would ice the Cowboys for good as Western went on to win by a score of 81-75.

Western was led by Gordon who scored 19 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, while McCray had 17. Gerad Davis of Highlands led all scorers with 28.

The Mustangs are back in action Saturday, again in Albuquerque, against Fort Lewis College in The Pit at Dreamstyle Arena.

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Players Mentioned

#23 Willie McCray: G; 6' 1"; Senior

#12 Leston Gordon: F; 6' 8"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#23 Willie McCray
: 6' 1"; Senior
: G

#12 Leston Gordon
: 6' 8"; Senior
: F

Players Mentioned

#23 Willie McCray

#12 Leston Gordon

Players Mentioned

#23 Willie McCray

#12 Leston Gordon