GUNNISON, Colo. The Western Colorado men's basketball team wrapped up its home-opening weekend on Saturday afternoon, welcoming the Angelo State Rams to Paul Wright Gym. The Mountaineers controlled much of the contest, coming away with a 67-59 victory to improve to 2-0 on the season in front of the home crowd.
JUST THE FACTS
Final Score: Western Colorado def. Angelo State, 67-59
Records: Western Colorado 2-0 , Angelo State 0-2
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo. Â Â
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Rams came out of the gates strong, jumping out to an early lead before Quincy Scott knocked down a three-pointer to get the Mountaineers on the board and spark some momentum. Western settled into its rhythm as the half progressed, putting together an impressive run to build a 10-point advantage with eight minutes remaining in the opening half. The Mountaineers found success on both ends of the floor, using timely baskets and defensive stops to create separation.
Angelo State responded down the stretch, slowly chipping away at Western's lead to make it a five-point game heading into the locker room. Despite the late push from the Rams, the Mountaineers maintained their composure and carried a 31-26 advantage into halftime.
Coming out of the break, Angelo State found its shooting touch, knocking down a pair of three-pointers in the opening minutes to take a one-point lead. The early second-half surge put pressure on Western, but the Mountaineers answered with a strong response. Western continued to attack offensively, found key opportunities from the perimeter and regained control of the contest.
As the second half progressed, the Mountaineers began to create some separation once again, building an eight-point advantage with five minutes remaining. With the game entering its final stretch, Western stayed composed, executed offensively and made the necessary plays to protect its lead.
The Rams continued to battle, but Western came up with several important plays down the stretch. Jhett Wells stepped up at the free-throw line, knocking down clutch shots to help put the game away. The Mountaineers closed out the contest with a 67-59 victory, earning their second win of the season and completing a perfect 2-0 home-opening weekend in front of the home crowd.
Three Mountaineers finished in double figures, led by Petar Strugar, who recorded a team-high 16 points. Quincy Scott and Grant Olsen also made their presence felt offensively, each contributing 11 points. Strugar put together a strong all-around performance, adding five rebounds and two assists to go along with his team-leading scoring effort.
Western also found success on the glass throughout the afternoon. Olsen led the Mountaineers with seven rebounds, while Ahjany Lee added six boards, helping Western compete on the interior and create additional opportunities.
As a team, the Mountaineers put together an efficient shooting performance, connecting on 50% of their attempts from the field and 42% from beyond the three-point arc. Western also capitalized at the charity stripe, converting 15-of-21 free-throw attempts.
WHAT THEY SAID
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers return to action on Thursday, November 19, as they host Justice University at 6 p.m. inside Paul Wright Gym.
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