Silver City, N.M. – After claiming an exciting overtime win over Midwestern State last weekend, the Mustangs men's basketball team will close out 2019 on the road.
Western New Mexico vs. Texas A&M International
Dec. 19 |Laredo, TX | 7:30 p.m. CST
Western New Mexico vs. Texas A&M Kingsville
Dec. 21 | Kingsville, TX | 4 p.m. CST
LAST TIME OUT:
If you weren't at Drag's Court last Saturday you missed out. The Mustang men put on an impressive performance on both ends of the ball, climbing back in the final few minutes of the second half to tie the game at 81, forcing extra minutes.
After one half, WNMU held a 42-36 lead. The second half was a back and forth affair, with MSU taking over the lead and holding on to it for a majority of the half. With just a little over two minutes remaining, WNMU capitalized on fouls at the line to shorten the lead. As the clock winded down under a minute, Elijah Holfield found the net for the game tying basket. In a last effort to score, MSU waited to long as the time ran out, forcing an overtime period.
The overtime period was all WNMU from start to finish, outscoring their opponent 17-7, on their way to a 98-88 victory, and their first in league play.
CJ Vanbeekum (Phoenix, AZ/Paradise) led all scorers with 22-points, followed up by Elijah Holifield (Atlanta, GA/Pace Academy) with 14.
Holifield has been an offensive threat for the Mustangs this season, tallying double-digit scoring in the last six games, starting with a 22-point performance at the Univ. of the Southwest. He currently averages 14.3 PPG, and ranks in the top-25 scorers in the LSC.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS:
TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL (2-7, 0-3 LSC)
With an identical overall record as the Mustangs, the Dustdevils of Texas A&M International have yet to find success in league play. TAMIU earned two wins early on in the season, but have since been riding a six-game losing streak, with the most recent loss to Texas A&M Kingsville last weekend, despite leading at the half.
Senior Caleb Highley boosts the Dustdevil offense, averaging 13.3 points in nine games thus far. Defensively, he averages 5.1 rebounds tallying 46, along with four blocks this season. Teammate Dominic Jackson went 5-7 from three point range last weekend against TAMUK, putting up 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal.
Just the third overall meeting between the two, WNMU has won both previous meetings to remain undefeated over TAMIU. The
Mustangs made the trek early last season, grabbing a 70-62 win in Laredo.
TEXAS A&M KINGSVILLE (7-2, 3-0 LSC)
Boasting the opposite record from TAMIU, are the Javelinas from Texas A&M Kingsville. Dating back to Nov. 21, the Javelinas have since won five straight after storming back in the second half at TAMIU last weekend for the 80-70 win.
Though they are flawless in league play so far, the Javelinas have had to work for it. Oklahoma Christians threatened to claim the conference opening victory, but TAMUK held on for a 58-57 win.
A key part of the TAMUK success in league play so far has been senior Rashon Thomas. The Houston native is far above his teammates, averaging 19.3 points per game in the conference season so far. Thomas is shooting 50-percent from the field and three point range.
The Mustangs will look to claim their first victory over the Javelinas since joining the LSC.
