Cowboys stay strong late, beat SD Mines on the road

RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The New Mexico Highlands men's basketball team was clinging to a 71-70 lead as the clock ticked to just under 10 seconds remaining in regulation and with South Dakota Mines driving to the basket attempting to take the lead.
 
But DJ Bustos, who already had 11 points off the bench, stepped in and took a charge to give the ball back to the Cowboys as Jordan Jones drained a pair of free throws with seven seconds left and NMHU withstood a 3-point Hardrocker attempt that fell short for a 73-70 victory Saturday night at the King Center.
 

MBB | BUSTOS TAKES THE CHARGE! With SD Mines with a chance to take the lead, DJ Bustos takes a charge to give the ball back to the Cowboys with a 71-70 lead w/ under 10 seconds left. #LetsRide pic.twitter.com/B1UZXMlsoK

— NMHU Athletics (@NMHU_Athletics) January 27, 2019

The Cowboys (14-5 overall, 9-4 RMAC) trailed 70-69 with less than two minutes remaining in the contest when Gerad Davis cut through the lane and scored with 1:48 left to give the Cowboys a 71-70 lead.
 

MBB | Davis drives and scores to give the Cowboys a one-point lead on the Hardrockers. #LetsRide pic.twitter.com/oyKVRaN1M7

— NMHU Athletics (@NMHU_Athletics) January 27, 2019

NMHU got the ball back, but turned it over with 38 seconds remaining in the contest – giving the Hardrockers (8-13, 5-8) a chance to take the lead.
 
South Dakota Mines worked the clock to under 10 seconds when Damani Hayes drove to the basket with Bustos guarding him. Hayes lowered his shoulder and Bustos was there to take the charge to give the ball back to the Cowboys with seven seconds remaining. Jones was then fouled and drained both free throws for NMHU to push the lead to 73-70.
 
The Hardrockers got one last look, but their 3-point attempt came up short and the Cowboys came away with the victory.
 
Davis paced the Cowboys with 21 points to go along with four rebounds and three steals. Jones finished with 14 points, Bustos had 11 – including going 3-for-5 from 3-point range – while Raquan Mitchell had 10 points, six rebounds and three steals. Desmond Carpenter and Adrian LaFleur each had a team-best four assists while Jaylen Domina-Lovato tied for a team-best three steals.
 
NMHU shot 37.9 percent from the field, including 33.3 percent (9-for-27) from 3-point range while South Dakota Mines shot 47.4 percent from the field (including 8-for-18 from 3-point range) while outrebounding the Cowboys 47-28. NMHU made up for it, however, by forcing 22 Hardrocker turnovers – leading to 30 points (the Cowboys committed just eight turnovers that led to nine South Dakota Mines points).
 
The Cowboys – tied for third in the RMAC – return home and host the top two teams in the RMAC standings next week in UC Colorado Springs (second place) on Friday and Colorado School of Mines (first place) on Saturday.