Box Score Alamosa, Colo. – The NMHU Men's Basketball team ended the 2012-13 season with a 91-74 loss to the Adams State University Grizzlies in the Quarterfinals of the RMAC Shootout conference tournament. The Grizzlies went on a 21-0 run midway through the first half, taking a 20 point lead (25-5), and never looked back. The loss ends the Cowboys' season with an overall record of 13-14 and an 11-11 record in the RMAC.
The Grizzlies scored first in the game, but a
Stargell Love 3-pointer seemed to point to the start of a competitive tournament game. After another basket by Adams State, Love hit a jump shot in the lane to put NMHU up 5-4. That was the last time the Cowboys would have the lead.
The Grizzlies took back the lead at the 17:28 mark of the first half and began a scoring blitz on their home court. ASU scored 21 unanswered points in the next seven minutes of play and took a 25-5 lead with 10:29 remaining in the first half.
The Grizzlies had complete control of the game at that point and they would lead by as much as 28 points in the half. When the buzzer sounded for halftime, ASU took a 25 point lead (51-26) into the locker room.
The second half of the game saw more of the ASU offensive attack. The Cowboys were playing better in this half, but they were unable to close the distance on the scoreboard.
With 9:45 left in the game,
Stargell Love made a layup that began a 12-0 Cowboy run.
Stuart Sullivan's 3-pointer with 6:27 remaining ended the Cowboys' run and cut the ASU lead down to 13 points (68-55). That would be as close as the Cowboys would get and the Grizzlies turned the pressure back up, holding off an NMHU comeback.
When the final buzzer sounded, it was ASU that would advance to the Semifinals of the RMAC Shootout with a 91-74 victory on their home court.
Stuart Sullivan was the leading scorer for the Cowboys with 21 points against the Grizzlies. Sullivan was 5-11 from three-point range and a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line. He added three steals, three rebounds, and one assist in his 31 minutes on the court.
Mannie Cass scored 18 points for the Cowboys. Cass was 7-13 from the field but he struggled from three-point range on the road, only making two of his seven attempts from long range. He added six rebounds, one steal, and one assist in his team-leading 38 minutes of play.
Stargell Love rounded out the Cowboys' top performers against Adams State with 16 points. Love had six rebounds and two assist in 29 minutes on the court.
The Cowboys finish the 2012-13 season with a 13-14 record in overall play. They were able to put together enough wins in the last few games of the season to make an appearance in the RMAC Shootout Quarterfinals. Cowboys
Mannie Cass and
Lavell McDade were both selected to the 2012-13 All-RMAC Second Team. Cousins Cass and McDade were the Cowboys' best players throughout the season, leading the team in scoring and playing time. The Cowboys had no seniors on the 2012-13 team and they look to return a very talented and experienced roster for next season. Stay tuned to the NMHU Athletics website for updates and information about NMHU Cowboy Basketball.
GO COWBOYS!!!
Click
HERE for 2012-13 RMAC Men's Basketball Conference Awards.
