By: Con Marshall
CSC Sports Information
Las Vegas, N.M. -- The Chadron State College men's basketball team went on a 21-7 run to build a 52-41 lead in the first eight minutes of the second half of its game against New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, N.M., Saturday night. However, the Cowboys outscored the Eagles 18-1 in the next six minutes and went on to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game 75-61.
During their early second half surge, the Eagles made seven of 10 field goal attempts, including a 3-pointer, and six of eight free throws. However, they missed their next five shots from the field, had five turnovers and made only one of two free shots while Highlands caught fire and went ahead 59-53.
Even after Jarrett Taylor's 3-pointer broke CSC's six-minute field goal drought, Highlands tallied the next 10 points to go on top 69-56 to secure its victory.
Three players did most of the damage for the Cowboys. Kenard Richardson led with 20 points, 18 of them in the second half, while AC Curry scored 18 and Kyrie Thomas 15 for the game. The trio combined to make eight of 18 three-point shots. Other Cowboys were 0-9 from behind the arc.
Another force for the New Mexico team was 6-foot-11 Ezichi Kalu, who scored just two points in 28 minutes on the court, but grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots.
Chadron State was led by guard Bryce Latimer with 25 points on eight of 19 from the field, including a pair of treys to give the Eagles a quick 6-2 lead, and he was seven of nine from the free throw line.
CSC's only other double-figure scorer was Jalen Patterson with 12 points.
Overall, the Eagles shot just 37% from the field. Highlands hit 46%. Despite Kalu's 11 rebounds, CSC finished with 34 caroms and Highlands 30.
The Eagles, who edged Colorado State-Pueblo 84-82 on Friday night when Latimer made a layup with three seconds remaining, are 3-4 for the season. They will be at home for their next four games before Christmas.
They'll meet Western Colorado at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 9, Colorado Christian at 7:30 Tuesday, Dec. 12 and play Regis and Colorado-Colorado Springs on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17, respectively, both at 4 p.m.
Women's games against the same rivals will precede the men's contests by two hours each date.
Chadron State—Bryce Latimer 25, Jalen Patterson 12, Josh Robinson 9, Martin Poznanovic 6, Jarrett Taylor 3, Dalton Peterson 3, Porter Anderson 3. Totals: 21-57 (6-17) 13-18 61 points, 34 rebounds, 14 turnovers.
N.M Highlands—Kenard Richardson 20, AC Curry 19, Kyrie Thomas 15, Messiah Turner 7, Rodney Mason 5, Nathan Hasberry 3, Ezichi Kalu 2, Aahmond Scarbrough 2, Eric Sonnenberg 2. Totals: 28-61 (8-27) 11-13 75 points, 30 rebounds, 14 turnovers.
Chadron State 31 30 ---61
N.M. Highlands 34 41 ---75
3-pointers: CSC—Latimer 2, Patterson 2, Taylor 1, Peterson 1. NMHU—Curry 3, Thomas 3, Richardson 2.