Box Score CHADRON, Neb. – A one possession game under a minute left in regulation? The Cowboys have their opponents right where they want them.
"This was a really good meet for us," head coach
Robert DeVries explained. "We were the only DII team in the field, but our women more than hold their own against the likes of New Mexico, New Mexico State, Utah State and BYU.
"We went into this meet with a bit of a 'wait and see' approach. I have to say, the coaches liked what we saw from everyone today. This group is going to rewrite the school's record book," DeVries added.
New Mexico Highlands men's basketball (9-6, 6-5 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) improve to 5-0 in conference games that end within one possession as it knocked off Chadron State (6-8, 3-7 RMAC) 85-82 Friday night in Chadron, Neb.
In the last four games within one possession under a minute left in regulation, the Cowboys are outscoring their opponents 21-9. In fact, Highlands has been tied or trailed under 15 seconds in four of its six conference wins on the year.
Down 70-60 with 11:08 left, the Cowboys went on a 10-2 run to pull within two. Senior
Stargell Love hit a pair of free throws before classmate
Stuart Sullivan hit his only triple of the game to quickly cut the deficit in half. After the media timeout, senior
Mannie Cass split from the line as Highlands scored six unanswered over 1:29.
Kendrick Holliman for Chadron State tried to stop the momentum with a layup to put the home team back up six, but a pair of layups by Cass and Love cut the deficit to 72-70 with 8:40 remaining. Down 78-74 later in the half, Highlands went 3-4 from the line and a senior
Dominick Baca lay-up put the Cowboys up 79-78 with 3:28 left in the game, the first Highlands lead since the 15:56 mark of the first half.
Ironically, two big plays down the stretch gave two Cowboys a double-double for the game, only the second and third such time a Highlands player have achieved this feat this season. Tied at 79, Love dished out his 10th assist of the game when he found Cass for a jumper with 2:01 left to give the Cowboys the lead for good. Love complimented his 10 dimes with a season-best 18 points.
With the Cowboys clinging to an 83-82 lead and Chadron State at the charity stripe, the Eagles Evan Brooks missed and Cass ripped down his 10th defensive board of the game. Cass finished the game with 15 points for his first double-double of the season and the second of his career.
Despite Highlands going 2-4 from the line down the stretch to keep the game within reach, the Eagles did not even get a shot off in the final minute, throwing a pair turnovers with a steal by Love. The Cowboys came back to win by three despite only leading for 3:30 in the contest.
Sullivan added 14 points while sophomore
Drew Martin came off the bench for 14. Besides the double-double, Love grabbed five boards and made three thefts. Chadron State countered with five double-digit scorers, but Highlands clamped down on defense against the Eagles starters. The Eagles bench outscored its starters for the game, 46-36.
Brooks, who missed the critical free throw for Chadron State, came off the bench for a team-best 13 points. The Eagles led by as much as 13 in the first half before holding a 51-43 lead at intermission.
For Highlands, it is the first win at Chadron since the 1994-95 season, a Cowboys 107-98 win.
The Cowboys, above .500 in conference play for the first time since Dec. 13, returns to action tomorrow (Jan. 18) when it takes on Black Hills State. It is New Mexico Highlands first visit to Spearfish, S.D., in RMAC play.
