OKLAHOMA CITY Okla. – The Western New Mexico University Men's Basketball team traveled to Oklahoma City on Saturday afternoon for a pivotal matchup against the Eagles to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Mustangs would defeat the Eagles 79-70.
This puts the Mustangs at 15-11 (9-11).
"It was great to see us play good basketball," said Head Coach Zane Gibson. "When we play the right way and share the ball, we are a tough team to beat."
Three Mustangs would manage double-figures on the Eagles. Tony Avalos (Las Cruces, NM/Onate HS) would score a game-high and season-high 27 points on 8-14 from the field, including two 3s and. Joshuwan Johnson (Phoenix, AZ/Maricopa High School) would add 18 points in only 16 minutes including 7-11 shooting splits and three 3s. DJ Heath (Anniston, AL) would also chip in 11 points.
Avalos would also score is 1,000 career point early in the first half.
"Seeing Tony score 1,000 points was a pretty cool moment," said Gibson. "Tony scoring 1,000 shows his longevity in the program. I have been fortunate enough to watch him grow as a person on and off the court."
A great shooting day would be the Mustangs path to victory. The Mustangs would shoot 27-53 (51%) from the field and 8-17 (47%) from three-point range. WNMU would also be able to hold the Eagles to under 40% from the field and under 30% from beyond the arc.
The Eagles would do a good job of limiting the Mustangs on the fast break, only allowing six fast-break points.
At the charity stripe the Lions would shoot 17-25 (68%) compared to 18-23 (78%) for the Mustangs.
On the boards, Olamide Pedersen (Bronshoj, Denmark/Sunrise Christian Academy) would lead the way with seven boards. Jaylin McFadden (Rockford, IL) would add five rebounds. Amarion Cash (Phoenix, AZ/Mountain Pointe HS) would lead the Mustangs with four assists.
In the defensive department, Heath would each record two steals. Three other Mustangs would record a steal. Pedersen would protect the rim with two blocks. Those two blocks would keep Pedersen ranked Top 20 in the nation for blocks per game and total blocks.
In the first half the WNMU would shoot 52% from the field and 63% from behind the arc. WNMU would finish the game shooting 51% from the field and 47% from three. Oklahoma Christian would shoot 38% for the game and 27% from behind the three-point line.
The Mustangs and Eagles would essentially play a back-and-forth game in the first half. With 16:27 on the clock Tony Avalos (Las Cruces, NM/Onate HS) would rise up and hit a free-throw line jumper to go over 1,000 career points. The Eagles would hang with the Mustangs until three minutes were left till the half. It was then that the Mustangs deployed a 10-3 run to close out the half
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In the second half the Mustangs would quickly extend their lead to 13 points before the Eagles would cut it to two. This was the theme of the second half, each team going on a run and the other team responding with a run of their own. The Mustangs would be able to hold onto their lead and defeat the Eagles, 79-70.
"Eastern is a good, physical team," said Gibson. "It will be a very hostile environment on Monday, but if we play like we did today, then we can beat them."
Four Eagles would manage double-digits on the Mustangs. Drew Tennial led the way with 17 points and eight rebounds. Antonio Gordon chipped in 13 points. D.J. Walter and Jaden Young added 10 points each.
Top Mustangs:
Tony Avalos (Las Cruces, NM/Onate HS): 27 pts (8-14 FGs) (2-3 3FGS) (9-11 FTs)
Joshuwan Johnson (Phoenix, AZ/Maricopa High School): 18 pts (7-11 FGs) (3-5 3FGs)
DJ Heath (Anniston, AL): 11 pts 2 stls
The Mustangs will hit the for their next match up against Eastern New Mexico on February 20th (7:00PM MT).
This game recap is presented by First American Bank. First American Bank is a proud supporter of WNMU Athletics! Â
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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, TikTok & Instagram).
