LAS VEGAS, N.M. – In a fast pasted and highly physical game, it was the New Mexico Highlands University men's basketball team that came out top outlasting the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
INSIDE THE MATCH UP
- Final Score: NMHU 96 – UCCS 92
- Records: UCCS (16-11, 10-8 RMAC) | NMHU (11-15, 4-14 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: NMHU John A. Wilson Complex | Las Vegas N.M.
- All-Time Series: UCCS leads the all-time series 28-26 after tonight's tilt.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UCCS got things going quick to open up the game as Hannes Saar scored the first four points of the game. Some more Saar free throws and a Derik Pranger three had the Mountain Lions on top 9-4 at the first commercial timeout. UCCS and NMHU would trade shots in the paint and some free throws before an eventual Derik Pranger three-pointer put the Mountain Lions up nine, a sizeable lead nine minutes into the game. NMHU's Delon McCloud responded instantly with a three pointer of his own. Shots and free throws were traded for the next two minutes when another McCloud three and Blessin Kimble layup cut the lead to three points for UCCS. They would go onto extend their lead back to five when Xavier Martinez started to get things going with a three pointer of his own. At this point with six minutes left, shots would be traded back and forth for the next five minutes with eventual NMHU free throws falling to tie things up 39-39 with 1:19 remaining in the half. Kyrie Thomas made those free throws to tie it and would be the one to break the tie with a huge three pointer to put NMHU up for the first time. Some more Cowboy free throws would make it a 5-point lead at half for NMHU 44-39.
- The second half was off to a fiery start as the Cowboys picked up where they left off scoring four points before a William Becker dunk would silence things. UCCS would knock down two three-pointer shots to cut the NMHU lead to six. Pranger kept his nice shooting game going with another three pointer and layup to slice their deficit in half.
- Hannes Saar would tie things up and take the lead 58-56 when his back-to-back finishes both found the bottom of the net. NMHU responded with a run of their own making it 69-62 after a few good McCloud free throws. The Cowboys would be up seven with 10:55 left in the game.
- The Mountain Lions floated between being down five and nine points for the next four minutes of gametime and just couldn't seem to get any real momentum building against NMHU. At that point with 6:33 remaining, William Becker scored a nice layup and a pair of free throws to make their deficit five right before a huge James Ellis three pointer would fall to cut it to a two-point cowboy lead with just 5:21 left to play.
- Things were eventually tied back up after Pranger free throws with 3:49 left when the Cowboy's Nathan Hasberry hit a jumper to give them the lead by two. Becker then took things into his own hands with a bucket of his own to knot things back up at 84-84. Blessin Kimble with a physical finish gave NMHU the lead again, before Saar was fouled rebounding the ball and knocked down both free throws to tie it up once again. Kimble was on a heater himself when he finished a shot over two Mountain Lion defenders while being fouled. His free throw made the lead three for NMHU.
- UCCS came down the court and in an instant, a response and-one play from Gavin Carter had tied things up for the ninth time this evening 89-89. It was Trimble's time to shine as he was sent to the line yet again but only managed one point on the trip. Gavin Carter decided it was his turn and was fouled on the NMHU end, making both free throws and giving the Mountain Lions the lead again, 91-90.
- KJ LaMonte then knocked down a pair of free throws giving the advantage to NMHU with 40 seconds to play. A full shot clock later with the ball in the hands of UCCS a missed three pointer came down in the hands of Trimble who was instantly fouled, and this time came up clutch at the free throw line making both and pushing the Cowboy lead to three. The Mountain Lions looked to have one chance at tying things up as they were down 94-91 with 6.5 seconds left on the shot clock. As soon as the ball was inbounded, an intentional foul from NMHU put UCCS on the free throw line with four seconds left. Only one dropped meaning Cowboy ball up two with four seconds left. It was one more set of free shots for the Cowboys, who made both free throws to put away the game. An inbounds play and missed shot meant the Cowboys end on top 96-92 over the Mountain Lions.
GAME STATISTICS
- Both teams' offenses were showing off in this game as UCCS shot 56% from the field and 38% from three while NMHU was 49.3% from the field and 42.1% from three.
- UCCS had four starters score in the double digits as Carter paced the team with 25. NMHU on the other hand, had six different players in the double digits at the end with Blessin Kimble tacking on 24 of the teams' 96 points himself.
- William Becker was one assist shy of a triple double finishing the game with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists.
- The Mountain Lions tried to hold on in this tight race with some stellar free throw shooting going 28-33 (84.8%)
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Gavin Carter scores a new career high with 25 points in the close loss to the Cowboys.
- Becker falls one assist short of what would have been his first career triple double.
- The Mountain Lions remain up in the all-time series 28-26 versus the NMHU Cowboys.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions next opponent is Colorado School of Mines at the Gallogly Events Center, this Thursday, February 27th at 7pm.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
