AUSTIN, TEX. – The Western New Mexico University Men's Basketball team continued their LSC road trip with a matchup against St. Edwards. After a late comeback attempt, the Hilltoppers would hold off the Mustangs 86-79 to drop the Mustangs to 0-2 in LSC play.

Four Mustangs managed to score in double-digits tonight. Keith Littles (Augusta, GA/) and DJ Heath (Anniston, AL/) led attack tonight for the Mustangs with 12 points each Isaiah Lewis (Mansfield, TX/) and Emmanuel White (Katy, TX/) would managed to chip in 11 points each as well.

The disparity in free throws and rebounding would prove to be fatal for the Mustangs. The Hilltoppers would managed 34 free throw attempts, doubling the Mustangs 17. St. Edwards would managed to hit 29 of their 34 attempts (85%), while the Mustangs hit 13 of their 17 attempts (76%).

The Mustangs did manage to win the battle in the paint outscoring the Hilltoppers 40-26. WNMU would also win the turnover battler 13-12.

On the glass Tony Avalos (Las Cruces, NM/Onate HS) led the way with five rebounds. Ian Hohenstein (Veracruz, Mexico/Faith Christian Academy) and Heath would manage four boards as well. Heath and White were the Mustangs playmakers tonight with three assists apiece.

In thee first half the Mustangs would shoot 40% from the field and 33% from behind the arc. WNMU would finish the game shooting 47% from the field and 43% from three-point range. The Hilltoppers managed to shoot 44% from the field and 32% from three.

WNMU went into halftime trailing the Hilltoppers 47-33. In the second half the Hilltoppers would be able to build the lead to 14 with 2:45 on the clock before the Mustangs attempted a comeback. Head coach Zane Gibson deployed a lineup of Joshuwan Johnson (Phoenix, AZ/Maricopa High School), DJ Heath (Anniston, AL/), Keith Littles (Augusta, GA/), Emmanuel White (Katy, TX/) and Dane Quest (Ontario, Canada/). The lineup would be able to cut the deficit to five points before the Hilltoppers closed out the Mustangs for good. The Mustangs would outscore the Hilltoppers in the second half 46-39.

Six Hilltoppers managed double figures on the Mustangs. Blake Nielsen would scored a game-high 18 points. Jeff Gary added 16 points. Four other Hilltoppers would scored 10 points. Sean Elkinton would grab 16 rebounds on the Mustangs as well.

Top Mustangs:
DJ Heath (Anniston, AL/): 12 pts, 4 reb, 3ast
Keith Littles (Augusta, GA/): 12 pts
Emmanuel White (Katy, TX/): 11 pts, 3 ast
Isaiah Lewis (Mansfield, TX/): 11 pts

The Mustangs will be back in action at the University of New Mexico (7:00 PM MT) on Tuesday December 6^th at the Pit.