SILVER CITY, NM  — The WNMU Mustangs (16-4, 10-3 Lone Star) scraped by Texas A&M International University (7-13, 4-8 Lone Star) with a nail-biting 65-63 victory in a Lone Star Conference thriller on Saturday at Drag's Court. The Mustangs clinched the win by taking full advantage of their trips to the line, sinking 27 of 38 free throws.

The game tipped off with Western New Mexico jumping to an early lead, thanks to Nolan Brown's pair of free throws at 18:51, setting the tone with a 2-0 start. Despite the constant lead changes, the Mustangs surged ahead with Isaiah Broady's (Chandler, AZ/Arizona Compass Prep) fastbreak layup at 15:54, putting them up 8-4.

As the first half unfolded, Western NM held their ground through sharp free-throw shooting, nailing 14 of 16 attempts. A pivotal steal by Andre Harris (Mesa, AZ/Hillcrest Prep) at 5:57 led to a Quincy Adams (Frisco, TX/Hamilton High School) layup, swinging the momentum back to the Mustangs, who wrapped up the half with a 31-26 edge over the Dustdevils.

The second half saw Western NM maintain a slim lead, navigating through turnovers with savvy scoring. A crucial moment came when Harris tipped in a shot at 14:11, sparking a series of key plays including a Tanner Poeschl (Fountain Hills, AZ/Skyline High School) three-pointer at 17:39 and clutch free throws. The Dustdevils pressed to close the gap, but the Mustangs stood their ground, with Carson Kelly (Chandler, AZ/Chandler High School) delivering in the final minute to seal the 65-63 win.

Kelly led the charge with 20 points and three rebounds, hitting eight of 10 from the line. Harris was a defensive force with six blocks, adding 12 points and eight free throws. Broady chipped in 13 points and grabbed eight boards. Trenton Gordon (Aurora, IL/Duluth High School) contributed two blocks and six rebounds.

"Carson was fantastic tonight. We really needed him to be great tonight since we just struggled scoring the basketball", said Head Coach Mark Bunker. " Isaiah had a nice game as well for us with his finishing. Trenton Gordon (Aurora, IL/Duluth High School) had a big night tonight as well. He made so many winning plays for us all game long with his rebounding and blocked shots. We are excited to get back on the road here this week and get guys prepared for two big games on Thursday and Saturday."

Caylen Goff Brown shone with a standout performance, dropping 23 points, including five from beyond the arc, and snagging two steals. Jamyier Patton added 11 points, two assists, and two steals. Peyton Gusters pulled down four rebounds and picked up two steals, while Aaron Perez scored eight points and collected six rebounds, despite four turnovers.

Up next, Western NM hits the road to face Angelo State on Thursday, Feb. 5, with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. at the Junell Center in San Angelo, Texas.

The Mustangs boast a 16-4 overall record and are 10-3 in Lone Star play. Meanwhile, the Dustdevils stand at 7-13 overall and 4-8 in conference action.
 

***

 
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 (X, TikTok & Instagram).