LAS VEGAS, N.M. - There is not a better way for Cowboys head coach
Craig Snow to earn his first home victory.
Junior
Jonathon Mines drained a triple with 0.9 on the clock as New Mexico Highlands (2-13, 2-9 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) overcame a nine-point second half deficit for the 98-95 win against Chadron State (3-11, 2-8 RMAC) Friday night (Jan. 16) at the Wilson Complex in Las Vegas, N.M.
With the Cowboys down 92-90, Mines made the hoop through contact. He hit the ensuing free throw to put Highlands in the lead with 40 ticks left. Sophomore
Ricky Norris stole the inbounds and made a thunderous dunk to give the home team a 95-92 edge with 27 seconds left. However, Roderick Butler quickly knotted the game at 95 with the stop and pop three.
The Cowboys held the ball for the final shot with Mines connecting with less than a second left. Chadron State failed to get off a final attempt to remain winless on the road for the season.
The Eagles only committed 15 turnovers to the Cowboys 10, but Highlands made the most of their opportunities by outscoring Chadron State 24-9 in points off miscues. Junior
Kendrick Nichols scored 30 points while Mines added 27. Norris added the double-double with 15 points and grabbed a game-best 10 boards.
For Chadron State, five different players scored double-digits. Christopher Smith had 17 points while its leading scorer, Kendrick Holliman, added 16 points. The Eagles were a blazing 13-18 (72.2 percent) from beyond the arc for the game, including 8-9 (88.9 percent) in the second half alone.
The Cowboys started fast in the game, scoring the game's first six points and 15-of-18. Mines hit a jumper and Nichols drained a triple while being fouled for the rare four-point play. After Chadron State split from the line, Norris completed an old-fashioned three. Mines hit a triple and then a pair of free throws after a jumper by Chadron State's Josiah Lee to put the home team up 14-3. After Norris split from the line, Butler nailed the first of 13 threes for the visitors to bring the deficit back to single digits, 15-6 with 16:10 remaining.
With Highlands up 39-31 with 5:56 left in the first half, Chadron State went on a 12-2 run to take its first lead of the game. Jay Feltson hit a layup and before Sharif Black hit a pair from the line. Nichols pushed the Cowboys lead back to six with a layup, but Black answered with a triple and Justin Anderson hit a layup while being fouled. He made the ensuing free throw to tie the game. A pair from the charity stripe by Feltson put the Eagles up 43-41.
Highlands put together a 9-2 run to take a five-point lead into the break. Mines hit a pair from the line to tie the game, and freshman
Joe Anaya drained a triple off an Eagles miscue. After both teams traded free throws, senior
Luis Rodriguez-Quintana hit a jumper to put the Cowboys up 50-45 at break.
Chadron State led 79-72 with 7:33 left, but who knew Highlands sending the Eagles to the line would help tie the game? Junior
Amal Wilson hit a pair from the line to cut the deficit to five. After Chadron State missed the front end of a 1-and-1, Mines drained a triple. The Cowboys fouled again, but this time Chadron State missed a pair from the line. After a missed shot by the home team, Davante McCallam of Chadron State committed an offensive and a technical foul. Anaya split from the line and so did Nichols after being fouled to tie the game at 79 with 4:31 left. Neither team led by more than three the rest of the way before the wild finish.
The Cowboys return to action tomorrow night (Jan. 17) at 7 p.m. against Black Hills State.
