GUNNISON – With only 4.4 seconds left, a court-length away from the basket and down two points, Western State Colorado University men's basketball player Branden Cosby-Lee inbounded the ball to Will Duggan, who crossed half court and launched up a shot from close to 38-feet. The ball bounced off the backboard, hit the inside of the front-side of the rim, hung above the cylinder for a second and dropped in. Game. Western 76, Colorado Mesa 75.
 
Tuesday's conference-opener featured two teams with only one win against the same school in non-conference competition. Colorado Mesa came into Paul Wright Gymnasium and opened up a 10 point lead through the first half, but a resurgent Mountaineer squad would not be denied a win.
 
The shot and the crowd storming the court will be what will always be remembered, but eight of the final 11 Western points came from sharpshooter Brady Subart in the final three minutes. Ben Beauchamp had the other trey, and a key assist with a minute remaining from on his back to Subart to bring Western within one. A quick layup from Mesa made it a three point game, 73-70, but Duggan found Subart deep into the shot clock to tie the game with 19 seconds left. Mesa's Connor Nichols made what he believed was the game-winning layup with 4.4 left, then Mountaineer magic happened.
 
Beauchamp led Western with 22 points, shooting four of 11 from deep and converting six of eight foul shots. He was joined by Duggan with 17 and Subart with 14.
 
Defensively, Patrick Sniff had a game-high nine boards. He was joined by Cosby-Lee and Beauchamp with eight boards each.
 
The tale of two halves was the difference. In the first half Western had 29 points, shooting three of 12 from deep. Round two showed Western dumping nine treys on its opponent with 21 attempts. More than half of the shots take for the Mountaineers were deep balls, with the last one being the most important.