Box Score Las Vegas, N.M. – The NMHU Men's Basketball team stumbled against the Thunderwolves of CSU – Pueblo, losing 88-85 on 12/15. The Cowboys looked good early but let the Thunderwolves back in the game with a lack of ball control. The Thunderwolves were able to keep the game close and they took advantage of some Cowboy mistakes late in the game to pull out the victory. With the loss the Cowboys, led by Head Coach Joe Harge, fall to a 2-4 record in the RMAC and 4-5 in overall play.
The Cowboys took control of the game early on in the first half, working their way up to a 10 point lead with 16:15 left. The Thunderwolves cut into the Cowboys'advantage, but NMHU managed to maintain control of the lead.
With just 2:32 left in the first half, CSU – Pueblo was able to go up by two points, 30-28. They held on until the buzzer sounded halftime and took a 37-33 lead into the locker-room.
Mannie Cass set the momentum for the Cowboys at the start of the second half. He hit a quick three-pointer after the break and then stole the ball, running down the court to excite the crowd with a thunderous dunk.
The teams began to exchange the lead for several minutes until the Cowboys reeled off nine unanswered points to go up by seven points 53-46, with 14:04 remaining in the game. The Cowboys were in control again, holding off CSU – Pueblo's attempts to close the scoring gap.
But the Thunderwolves were not done by any means and they took a two point lead 67-65, with seven minutes to go. The Cowboys briefly regained the lead, but turnovers cost them the momentum and CSU – Pueblo took back the lead for good with 4:34 left.
The Cowboys tried to mount a comeback and tied the game up again at the 2:47 mark, but the Thunderwolves played strong defense and converted their shots down the stretch. When the final buzzer sounded it was CSU – Pueblo who ended up with the win, 88-85.
Turnovers plagued the Cowboys in the game against CSU – Pueblo. They gave up the ball 21 times compared to just eight turnovers for the Thunderwolves. CSU – Pueblo made the Cowboys pay for their mistakes, scoring 28 points off turnovers.
The Thunderwolves received considerable scoring contributions from their bench. Their reserve players amassed 37 points while the Cowboys only got 10 points from their bench.
The Cowboys shot well as a team, hitting 54.4% from the field including 54.5% from beyond the three-point line.
Mannie Cass was on fire in his 34 minutes on the court, scoring 29 points. Cass was all over the court, hitting 4-7 from three-point range and delivering some big-time dunks that brought the home crowd to their feet. He came very close to a double-double, grabbing nine rebounds, and added one blocked shot and a steal to his night's totals.
Lavell McDade scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds against the Thunderwolves. He was the floor general for the Cowboys, dishing out nine assists and leading the team's attack in his 32 minutes.
Lionel Coleman rounds out the Cowboys' top performers with 16 points. Coleman showed his vertical ability with a couple of dunks that also excited the fans. He added three rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal in his 22 minutes of playing time.
The Cowboys will take advantage of a short rest over the winter break before they start action again with a non-conference opponent. They will host the Lubbock Christian University Chaparrals on 12/29 at the John A. Wilson Complex, in Las Vegas, N.M. The game is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. tip-off time, in between the final games of the Stu Clark Tournament.
GO COWBOYS!!!
