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Western New Mexico University Athletics

Western New Mexico University Athletics
Spivey Senior Day
Jay Hemphill, WNMU
84
Midwestern State MSU 10-17, 6-11 LSC
86
Winner Western N.M. WNMU 5-20, 2-14 LSC
Midwestern State MSU
10-17, 6-11 LSC
84
Final
86
Western N.M. WNMU
5-20, 2-14 LSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Midwestern State MSU 34 50 84
Western N.M. WNMU 33 53 86

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Brian Kortz

Woodson Steals Show on Senior Day, While Spivey Posts Double-Double in Win Over MSU

SILVER CITY, N.M. – Junior Jon-Reese Woodson (Corpus Christi, TX/Carroll) stole the show on senior night from Latrell Spivey (Phoenix, AZ/Westview) and I'm sure he is just fine with that. Woodson was on pace for a rare triple-double, as he had the points and the rebounds, but then added five blocks, with the last being the game-changer. After Spivey pushed the Mustangs to a two-point lead late, Brandon Neel looked to go coast-to-coast for Midwestern State and tie the game, but on his layup attempt, Woodson flew over and sent the shot back and in the process lifting the Western New Mexico University men's basketball team to an exhilarating 86-84 Lone Star Conference victory on Saturday.

Woodson tied a high in the conference for blocks in a single game this year with five. He also scored 11 points and added 10 rebounds. Spivey wasn't outshined too bad as the only senior on the team, as he went for 21 points and added a double-double with 12 rebounds. He also had a steal and three assists. Junior Willie McCray (Clovis, NM/Clovis/Westwind Prep Academy) led all-scorers with 24 points, making 8-14 from the field, with six assists and a steal, without a turnover. Junior Haneef Vaughn-Wilson (Philadelphia, PA/Constitution) reached double-figures with 14 points on 7-12 shooting, along with four steals.

It was an up-and-down game, with both teams pushing the tempo all game long, leading to 37 total fastbreak points, with MSU (10-17, 6-11 LSC) holding the 21-16 edge. WNMU shot well from the field making 32-68 (47), 6-16 (38) from three and 16-28 (57) from the foul line.

WNMU (5-20, 2-14 LSC) roared out to a 6-0 lead not even two minutes in as Spivey, Vaughn-Wilson and Woodson all scored baskets. WNMU quickly had the lead out to 11-2 as Vaughn-Wilson hit a fastbreak layup and McCray dialed long distance at the 16:15 mark.

The lead got as high as 13 after Spivey hit a jumper and a layup by sophomore Eddie Giron (Monterrey, Mexico/Harmony Science Academy) moved WNMU to 23-10 lead near the midway mark of the first half. MSU found their rhythm after that, going on a 15-2 run to even the game 25-all with 5:15 to play. They took their first lead at the 3:22 mark on a three-pointer by Logan Hicks for a 30-29 advantage.

After falling behind by three, WNMU closed the remainder of the half strong with Vaughn-Wilson and Spivey converting layups, before a Trey Kennedy layup for MSU gave them the slim 34-33 lead at halftime.

MSU started the second half on a 4-0 run to move out to their largest lead of the night of five at 38-33. After coming back to tie the game at 43 on a layup by Vaughn-Wilson, WNMU added a foul shot by Spivey and then a jumper by Woodson to go back ahead 46-43.

The teams continued to trade leads when WNMU went back in front by five with 7:16 to play on a fastbreak layup by sophomore CJ Vanbeekum (Phoenix, AZ/Paradise).

It remained a back-and-forth battle down the stretch, with neither team able to pull away. WNMU jumped out to a four-point lead, 81-77, after Spivey hit two from the line. His free throw shooting would prove vital later in the game as well.

MSU came right back with two foul shots by Devante Pullum to get back to within two. McCray answered right back, as he attacked the rim and drew the foul and hit both from the line for an 83-79 lead with 37 seconds to play.

MSU went to Neel on the next possession, as he went down the baseline and hit the layup while being fouled. He ended up missing the ensuing foul shot, which gave WNMU a chance to add on at the other end. Woodson took it to the rim and was fouled with 25 seconds left. He split the foul shots to leave WNMU with an 84-81 lead.

MSU put it in the hands of Pullum and he delivered. He looked to drive, but then pulled up from way downtown and sunk the three-pointer to tie the game at 84 with 15 seconds to play.

Out of the timeout, WNMU looked to go inside to Spivey and as he made his move, he was tripped and fouled. He drilled both to move WNMU back out to an 86-84 lead with just seven seconds to play.

That setup the game-winning block by Woodson, as Neel took the in-bounds pass and tried to go all the way to the rim for the tie, but Woodson said no to send WNMU to the heart-pounding victory.

MSU was led by Pullum's 23 points, Neel added 19 points and both Kennedy and Josh Huntley added 10 points apiece. They made 34-73 (47) from the field, 7-18 (39) from three and 9-19 (47) from the foul line. The other categories were close as well, with WNMU holding the edge on points off turnovers (17-15), second-chance points (18-16), while MSU held the advantage on bench points (20-13), points in the paint (50-46) and fastbreak points (21-16).

The five wins is the most in a season since the 2012-13 year in which WNMU went 10-16.

WNMU will conclude the regular season this coming week when they will play at Texas A&M-Kingsville on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and then at Angelo State on Saturday at 4 p.m. with both start times Central Time.
 
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