GUNNISON, Colo.  Visiting New Mexico Highlands used a 10-0 run midway through the second half to rally from a deficit Tuesday night in Paul Wright Gym, then staving off Western Colorado's challenges the rest of the way as the Cowboys escaped with a 78-70 non-conference victory.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: N.M. Highlands def. Western, 78-70
Records: Western 5-6, NMHU 3-9
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Mountaineers came back from a one-point halftime deficit and a six-point early third quarter deficit, reeling off a 12-2 run to pull in front, 49-45.
• The spurt started with Jordan Kuac's 3-pointer then continued after a Cowboy turnover with a trey from Tyler Halligan.
• A steal by Mason Mottashed near midcourt quickly transitioned into a drive by Kuac down the lane where he was fouled and dropped in both of his free throw attempts.
• The culmination of the run was a wild 3-point try by Aidan McDowell. Out on the right wing he went up for a long-range attempt and was knocked off balance while in the air, still managing to get off a heave that found its way through the rim anyway. He added the free throw for the four-point play that pushed the Mountaineers in front by four points.
• Trailing 51-47, the Cowboys scored 10 unanswered points and would eventually stretch the advantage to seven points at 60-53.
• Western pulled back within three at 62-59 but a Cowboy 3-pointer gave the Cowboys breathing room and Western was only able to inch back within four, 74-70, in the final minute.

HARDWOOD NOTES

• Four Mountaineers reached double figures in scoring on the night, led by Halligan's game-high 19-point effort. McDowell added 16 with Kuac (13) and Joanis Koulisianis (11) also reaching double digits.
• Highlands, though, pushed five players into double figures with Ibrahima Sacko leading with 17 points and Marcus Pierce chiming in with 16.
• Western, which hit 14 and 19 3-pointers in its previous two games, hit only 7 triples on the night, Kuac claiming three of those.
• The Cowboys hit only three 3-pointers, but it was in close where they did the most damage, scoring 54 of their 78 points from in the paint, helping them finish the game shooting 53 percent, including 61% in the second half.
• Western shot 52% in the first half but hit a cold spell over the final 20 minutes, shooting just 36% in the half and 44% for the game.

UP NEXT

• The Mountaineers return from the holiday break with a Jan. 2 non-conference game at UC Colorado Springs.
• Western the resumes Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action on Jan. 8 with a trip to Fort Lewis College.