DALLAS, Texas – The Western New Mexico University Men's Basketball team took a trip to 7
th ranked Dallas Baptist for their third Lone Star Conference matchup of the season. After a strong second half effort, the Mustangs would fall 107-97.
This keeps the Mustangs at 2-6 (0-3).
Five Mustangs managed double-digits on the Patriots.
Cortaviaus Seales (Rock Island, IL/North Scott High School) was the catalyst on offense tonight with 22 points, including 9-11 from the free throw line.
Prosper Obidiebube (Houston, TX/Aspire Academy) scored 14 points on 5-5 from the field.
Allen Fordham (Far Rockaway, NY/Queens High School For Technology) contributed 13 points.
LaMarqus Merchant Jr. (Utica, NY/Utica Academy of Science) and
Nik Atanasovs (Riga, Latvia/Vidusskloa) added 12 points each.
Bench points and ball security would be the undoing for the Mustangs tonight. The Patriot bench nearly doubled the Mustangs bench, 61-32. As for turnovers, the Mustangs committed 25 TOs leading to 30 Patriots points, compared to 17 Patriot TOs for 17 points for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs shot 15-27 (55%) from the field and 3-9 (33%) from deep in the first half. WNMU finished the game shooting 31-57 (54%) and 8-18 (44%) from three. The Patriots would shoot 38-67 (56%) from the field and 13-22 (59%) from behind the arc for the game.
At the charity stripe the Mustangs went 27-34 (79%) and the Miners shot 18-31 (58%).
On the boards Merchant Jr grabbed six rebounds. Merchant Jr. was also the leading playmaker with five assists.
In the defensive department, Fordham recorded five steals. Merchant Jr. and Seales had three steals apiece as well.
Aaron Miller (Queens Village, NY/Benjamin Cardozo High School) recorded the singular block for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs began the first half going blow for blow with Patriots, leading 13-10 early. From that point on the Patriots would go on a 25-4 run, for a 42-21 lead at the midway point of the first half. DBU closed out the half up, 67-43.
In the second half the Patriots kept their foot on the gas, extending the lead to 29 points, their biggest of the game. With eight minutes to play, the Mustangs finally settled in and began to chip away at the lead. WNMU cut the lead to 10, but would not get any closer, falling 107-97.
Trevor Frank scored a game-high 25 points on the Mustangs, including 6-6 from deep. Ricky Lujan added 17 points. Cameron Kahn scored 16 and Issac Bullard dropped 15 points. Ta'Jay Dunlap ripped the Mustangs for six steals.
Top Mustangs:
Cortaviaus Seales (Rock Island, IL/North Scott High School): 22 pts (5-11 FG), (3-5 3FGs), (9-11 FTs), 3 stls
Prosper Obidiebube (Houston, TX/Aspire Academy): 14 pts, (5-5 FGs)
Allen Fordham (Far Rockaway, NY/Queens High School For Technology): 13 pts, 5 stls
The Mustangs will be in action next Saturday, December 9
th against UT Tyler (1:00 PM MT).
This game recap is presented by First American Bank. First American Bank is a proud supporter of WNMU Athletics!
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Western New Mexico University is a member of the NCAA Division II, and the Lone Star Conference (LSC). For additional information regarding Mustang Athletics, visit www.wnmumustangs.com; visit wnmu.edu for more information about Western New Mexico University. Follow the Mustangs on social media: @WNMUathletics (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok & Instagram)
