GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Western State Colorado University men's basketball team took a 70-69 win over MidAmerica Nazarene University in the second game of the Holiday-Inn Airport Thanksgiving Classic. Michael Hill and Brady Subart combined for 33 points to lead Western's victory.
 
Michael Hill put up 19 points and eight rebounds to lead the Mountaineers to victory. For Hill, both are career highs as a Mountaineer. On the night, Hill was 8-14 from the floor to shoot 57% for the game. Subart shot 2-5 from 3-point and 50% overall scoring 14 points for the Mountaineers.
 
MidAmerica Nazarene (7-3) scored the opening bucket but Western (2-4, 0-0 RMAC) would take the lead at the 16:45 mark. After taking the lead on a Monroe Porter tip-in, the Mountaineers wouldn't look back as they controlled the remainder of the half. MNU tied the score three-times but could not regain the advantage as Western hit the break leading 39-37.
 
Out of the break, the Pioneers came out strong but were unable to overcome the Mountaineer lead. All told, the Mountaineers spent 33 minutes with the lead on Saturday – carrying that lead through until the final seconds.
 
While the Mountaineers lead by as much as nine points, the game would tighten up in the final minute as both teams traded fouls and free throws. With 25 seconds remaining the Pioneers pulled within three points before a three-pointer with six seconds remaining cut the lead to two.
 
Up 68-66, Quincy Harding hit two free-throws to extend Western's lead to 70-66. They would be the last points of the night for Western as MNU hit a three-pointer with one second remaining, cutting the lead to one.
 
Following the win, the Mountaineers prepare for a return trip to Grand Junction on Tuesday to start the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season versus Colorado Mesa University.