PHOENIX, ARIZ. – The Western New Mexico University Men's Basketball team traveled to the PHHacility in Phoenix, Ariz. to host Western Oregon in a neutral site game. The Mustangs would defeat the Wolves 64-58.

"I'm proud of our team for taking on the challenge on today," said Head Coach Zane Gibson. "Western Oregon is a very good team, and this is a win the should give our guys a lot of confidence going into the Lone Star Conference."

Three Mustangs managed to score in double-figures. Isaiah Lewis (Mansfield, TX/) scored a season-high 15 points for the Mustangs. Keith Littles (Augusta, GA/) added 13 points and Olamide Pedersen (Bronshoj, Denmark/Sunrise Christian Academy) chipped in 10 points.

Points in the paint Turnovers proved to be the X-factors for the Mustangs. The Mustangs scored 34 points in the paint, compared to 24 points from the Wolves. WNMU would force WOU into 15 turnovers compared to 10 from the Mustangs.

The Wolves managed to win the three-point battle against the Mustangs, making four threes compare to the Mustangs' two.

On the glass Pedersen lead the Mustangs with a game-high 10 rebounds. This gave Pedersen his first double-double of the season. Isaiah Lewis (Mansfield, TX/) managed to pull down eight boards. Pedersen put on his "rim-protector badge" this afternoon with three blocks. Jaylin McFadden (Rockford, IL/) added a block as well. Tony Avalos (Las Cruces, NM/Onate HS) managed to strip the Wolves twice for two steals.

In the first half the Mustangs built a brick house shooting a 34% clip, including 12% from three-point range. The shooting would not improve for the Mustangs, as they would finish the game shooting 34% from the field and 13% from beyond the arc. The Mustangs managed to help the Wolves build a brick house of their own, holding them to shoot 31% from the field and 16% from three.

"We guarded really well today," said Gibson. "It was a rock fight. Sometimes the ball isn't going into the basket but there's a lot ways to win basketball games."

Both teams recorded a majority of their points at the charity stripe. The Mustangs would shoot 18-22 (82%) and the Wolves managed 16-17 (94.1%).

WNMU went into halftime tied with WOU at 30 apiece. In the second half the Mustangs would manage to pull away late from the Wolves, leading by as many as 10 points. The Mustangs would outscore the Wolves 34-28 in the second half for a 64-58 victory.

Two Wolves managed to score double digits on the Mustangs. Cameron Benzel managed a double-double with a game-high 19 points and 10 boards. Yosani Clay chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds.

"The name of the game is to keep stringing stop's together and we did that today," said Gibson.

Top Mustangs:
Isaiah Lewis (Mansfield, TX/): 15 pts, 8 reb
Keith Littles (Augusta, GA/): 13 pts
Olamide Pedersen (Bronshoj, Denmark/Sunrise Christian Academy): 10 pts, 10 reb, 3 blk

The Mustangs will be back in action after Thanksgiving on December 1^st at St. Mary's University (6:00 PM MT) to open up LSC play.