ESPANOLA, N.M. --- The New Mexico Highlands men's basketball team's press wore down Northern New Mexico in the second half as the Cowboys outscored the Eagles 49-34 in the final 20 minutes to come away with a 94-82 victory Monday night at Eagle Memorial Sportsplex.
NMHU (4-1) won its fourth game in a row thanks to holding NNMC (4-6) to 32.4 percent shooting in the second half – including 5-for-19 from 3-point range – to turn what was a 48-45 halftime deficit into a 12-point victory.
The Cowboys took the lead early in the second half as
Desmond Carpenter drove hard to the basket and scored as he was fouled and his three-point play made it 53-50.
NMHU held a slim lead for much of the first 10 minutes of the second half before back-to-back 3-pointers from
D.J. Bustos and
Jordan Jones increased the Cowboy lead to 71-62 with 8:16 remaining in the contest.
The NMHU advantage grew to double figures and
Raquan Mitchell hit the Eagles with a dagger 3-pointer with 1:40 left to increase the lead to 88-74.
Mitchell and
Gerad Davis paced the Cowboys with 19 points apiece with Mitchell adding six assists and five rebounds while Davis had three assists and five rebounds.
Nnamdi Okoro finished just shy of a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds,
Desmond Carpenter was solid at the point with nine points, seven assists and three rebounds and Jones finished with nine points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
The Cowboys shot 52.9 percent from the field (shot 52.8 percent in the first half, 53.1 percent in the second half), were 10-for-32 from 3-point range (31.3 percent) and were 12-for-20 from the free-throw line. The Eagles shot 40.5 percent from the field (48.6 percent in the first half, 32.4 percent in the second half), were 12-for-35 from 3-point range (7-for-16 in the first half, 5-for-19 in the second half) and were 10-for-15 from the free-throw line.
Bryce Simmons led the Eagles with 17 points.
NMHU returns to action Dec. 1 when the Cowboys open RMAC play at home against CSU-Pueblo at 7 p.m.
