LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The visitors shot a blazing 46.7 percent (14-30) from distance in the game and better than 50 percent from the field in both halves as New Mexico Highlands (1-8, 1-5 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) fell to CSU Pueblo (7-4, 4-2 RMAC) 89-68 Saturday night (Dec. 20) in Las Vegas.
Junior
Jonathon Mines led the Cowboys with 17 points. Classmate
Kaylen Shane added 10 points while sophomore
Ricky Norris chipped in 14. Junior
Kendrick Nichols, the team's leading scorer so far this season, was held to only five points – but had a team-leading eight rebounds and five assists.
Four players reached double-digits for the ThunderWolves, led by Jed Knafelc's 19 points. Bronson Moton turned in a solid night with 11 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
The Cowboys got off to another hot start with the first five points of the game. After an offensive stop, Highlands got a triple by Mines off an offensive rebound to put the home team up 3-0. After another stop, Shane hit a pair of free throws to put the Cowboys up 5-0 less than two minutes into the contest. The ThunderWolves responded and tied it at 10.
Tied at 19, the visitors went on an 8-2 spurt to take the lead for good. Odessa Lear hit a pair of free throws and a layup to put the visitors up four. Norris answered with a layup four Highlands, but Stevan Radakovic hit a layup and Bronson Moton hit a pair from the line as CSU Pueblo led 27-21 with 6:16 left in the first half. After a basket by senior
Erick Vega, the ThunderWolves hit their final seven shots from the field, including four from three-point range, to hold a 46-32 break at intermission.
Down by 15 in the middle of the second half, the Cowboys scored seven unanswered and had the ball to cut the deficit even further. Shane hit both free throws and got a tip-in to start the run. Mines hit a three to bring Highlands within 64-56 with 9:36 left in the game. The Cowboys were able to get the steal, but a Mines jumper clanged off the rim and Moton's triple for CSU Pueblo – his only of the game – jump-started a 7-0 run of their own to push the advantage to double-digits for good.
The Cowboys begin 2015 with a trip to the Mile High City to take on Metropolitan State University of Denver on Jan. 2. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
