GUNNISON, Colo. – It took five extra minutes on Saturday night, but the Western State Colorado University men's basketball team pulled out a victory against the previously undefeated Westminster College Griffins. The Mountaineers defeated WC 79-69 in overtime to earn the team's first conference win of the season.
 
Western's Ben Beauchamp needed just four points to reach 1,000 career points. It took 35 minutes for Beauchamp to reach the mark, and the senior guard had four points at the end of regulation.
 
In overtime, Beauchamp took control of the game, scoring all 13 of the Mountaineers' points and ended the night with 17. His overtime performance helped solidify the win as Western outscored the Griffins 13-3 in overtime.
 
Western (3-5, 1-1 RMAC) cruised through the first half, taking a 38-32 lead at halftime.
 
Collin Smith's 12 first-half points helped put the Mountaineers ahead at the break. Smith scored a team-high 19 points in Saturday's win.
 
Undefeated Westminster (5-1, 1-1 RMAC) came out of the halftime break on fire. The Griffins began the second half with a 12-0 run over the first six minutes to take a 44-38 lead. Midway through the half, Westminster had a seven-point lead, 50-43.
 
The Griffins were kept alive in the game due to the play of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's leading scorer, Dayon Goodman. Goodman accounted for over half of the Griffins' points, scoring 35 points. Only one other Westminster player scored more than six points.
 
The Mountaineers climbed back into the driver's seat due to outside shooting. In the final 6:36, Western made three three-pointers. Two came from Monroe Porter, while Brady Subart added another.
 
Subart's three-point field goal with 34 seconds remaining put Western ahead by four points.
 
After two Griffin free throws, the Mountaineers had the ball, up two points 66-64 with 25 seconds left to play.
 
However, Western missed the front-end of two one-and-one free throw opportunities, giving Westminster the ball with the chance to tie or take the lead with 19 seconds remaining.
 
The Griffins were able to tie the game at 66 points after a contested bucket by Tanner Newbold with nine seconds left.
 
Western bolted down the floor, drawing a foul with three seconds left, going to the line to shoot two free throws and gain the lead.
 
However, both free throws rattled off the rim and the two teams headed into overtime.
 
Westminster opened the scoring in overtime, taking a one-point lead 67-66, after making one-of-two free throws.
 
From that point on, it was all Beauchamp as the senior led Western to a 79-69 win.
 
Of the eight Western players to get into the scoring column, seven scored seven or more points.
 
The Mountaineers outrebounded Westminster 40-33, and scored 30 points by way of three-point field goals.
 
Western continues the season Sunday and Monday with exhibition games on the road against Division I opponents, the University of Northern Colorado and the Air Force Academy. Western will then face Adams State University and Fort Lewis College on the road next weekend.