Box Score LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Cowboys only led for a total of 35 seconds in the second half, but they made sure they had the lead when it counted most as the New Mexico Highlands men's basketball team (7-5, 4-4 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) overcame a 12-point second half deficit for the 75-73 win over Regis (4-8, 1-6 RMAC) Saturday night (Jan. 4) at the John A. Wilson Complex.
With 25 seconds left and Highlands trailing by one, Regis missed a three-pointer and senior
Stuart Sullivan corralled the defensive board. Highlands proceeded to take some time off the clock, and Sullivan – who scored a career-high 31 points – drove the lane and scored while being fouled. Sullivan completed the old-fashioned three to put the Cowboys up 75-73 with eight ticks left. Jarrett Green, who hit a trio of three-pointers for the Rangers on the night, missed badly and senior
Mannie Cass grabbed the board as the Cowboys completed the comeback.
Sullivan finished the night with an impressive stat line of 31 points, seven rebounds and three assists against no turnovers. In fact, Sullivan was only five off his career-best at halftime (26, vs. Colorado Christian Feb. 2, 2013) and scored 15 of the Cowboy's first 16 points. For the game, Sullivan was 11-15 from the field, including a 6-8 mark from behind the arc.
Junior
Augustus French came off the bench for 12 points, the only other Cowboy in double-digits.
Mannie Cass only contributed five free throws, but the senior added seven rebounds and rejected a career-best five shots.
Highlands fell behind 38-32 at the break and 54-42 with 13:35 remaining in the game. The Cowboys never threw a run at Regis, instead, methodically putting a few baskets together to remain in striking distance the last 10 minutes of the game. Down by 12, senior
Dominick Baca hit his lone three-pointer of the night. Classmate
Stargell Love cut the deficit to seven on a pair from the charity stripe. Nearly three minutes later, redshirt freshman
Justin Bustos hit a triple to cut the deficit to four. Sullivan and Bustos hit back-to-back triples around a Regis lay-up to tie the game with 6:50 remaining. The contest was knotted for the fifth time on the night and the first time since 7:15 remaining in the first half.
A Cass free throw with 5:59 left in the contest gave the Cowboys a 65-64 edge, their first lead in more than 21 minutes of game time.
Tied at 70, the Rangers went 3-4 from the line to take a 73-70 edge with 1:10 left. Cass hit a pair from the line to cut the deficit to one before the exciting finish gave the Cowboys their fourth RMAC split in as many weekends.
Leading the Rangers was Mike MacKelvie scored 18 points while Jarrett Green, who scored 31 points in the first RMAC win for Regis last night, was held to only 16.
Sullivan scored 15 of the first 16 points of the game for Highlands. The Cowboys faced an early 15-10 deficit before a triple the easy and hard way by Sullivan put Highland back up one. Regis built up an eight-point lead in the first half, but a jumper by sophomore
Drew Martin and another Sullivan triple pulled the Cowboys within three right before intermission. However, Regis' Spenser Reeb – who made all three three-pointers in the game – ended the first half with a shot behind the arc.
The Cowboys continue their four-game home stand when they play host to Fort Lewis. Game time is set for 8 p.m.
