Photo Credit: Tony Baker, NMTXSports.com

HOBBS, N.M. – Junior David Blaylock converted a pair of free throws with 23 seconds remaining and junior Ron'Quis Lewis blocked the final shot of the game and University of the Southwest men's basketball earned a 96-94 win over Northern New Mexico College Monday evening at the Maddox Student Life Center.
 
"We always manage to play Northern New Mexico pretty dang close," USW head coach Charles Goar said following the game. "We played at their place last week and lost 96-95 and to come back home and battle them close and be on the winning side is a great feeling. I must give credit to their (Northern New Mexico) staff and players. They are coached well and a play hard until the final horn."
 
The game was a seesaw with 13 lead changes and tied 15 times.
 
Five USW players scored in double figures.
 
Senior Marcelious Green scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor. He also grabbed eight boards. Junior Jim Coleman added 20 points and was an impressive 8-of-10 from the field. Blaylock added 18 points and was 6-of-7 from the free-throw line and handed out a game-high seven assists. Senior Jeffrey Long added 18 points and went to the charity stripe 13 times and converted eight attempts. Lewis added 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field.
 
As a team, the Mustangs (1-2) shot exceptionally well from the field and converted 34-of-59 (57 percent) shots from the field. USW also shot 60 percent from the floor in the second half.
 
USW returns to action Friday at 7:30 p.m. against USAO at the Maddox Student Life Center.