Silver City, N.M. - Western New Mexico University's men's basketball went to war with the University of Texas A&M-Kingsville this evening. The Mustangs and Javelinas were neck-and-neck, all game long. Western would go on to win, grabbing a late fourth quarter lead and not letting go, 78-73.

    The Mustangs were led offensively by Carson Kelly (Chandler, AZ/Chandler High School) with 28 points(8-20), Aiden Wall (North Richland Hills, TX/Keller Central High School) with 15 points(4-9), and Matthew Okoye (Sugarland, TX/Stephen F. Austin High School) with 14 points(2-10), who had a long day at the free-throw line, shooting 10-13 alone. On the defensive side, Aiden Wall (North Richland Hills, TX/Keller Central High School) led in rebounds with nine, while Carson Kelly (Chandler, AZ/Chandler High School) led in steals with three.

    In the first half, the Mustangs were shooting a dismal 27.6%(8-29) from the field and 40%(6-15) beyond the arc. TAMUK shot 48.3%(14-29) from the field and 41.7%(5-12) from 3-point range. In the second half, Western averaged 46.4%(13-28) from the field, making a huge momentum swing, and 44.4%(4-9) from 3-point range. On the opposing side, the Javelinas finished the second half shooting 36.1%(13-36) from the field and 33.3%(3-9) from beyond the arc. Western excelled from the free-throw line, shooting 89.7%(26-29), scoring on a whopping 26 attempts! Conversely, TAMUK shot 84.6%(11-13) from the line, only seeing a handful go down in comparison to our hometown Mustangs. The final score was 78-73, with a monumental Mustang victory across the board.

    Western will be staying home this Saturday, playing yet another Texas team, the University of Texas A&M-International Dust Devils. They will be tipping off January 25th, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. 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, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube & Instagram).