GOLDEN, Colo. – Behind a career-high 29 points and 18 rebounds from sophomore Ryan Quaid, the West Texas A&M men's basketball team won its first NCAA tournament game since the 2001 season with a 97-86 victory over Lone Star Conference rival Texas A&M-Commerce Saturday afternoon at Lockridge Arena on the campus of Colorado School of Mines. 

"We have battled them three times this year and they are a very tough out," WT head coach Tom Brown said.  "We had a 19-point lead at halftime and I didn't feel comfortable with that, Coach Walker does a great job with his kids and they can really light it up.  We knew it was going to be a tough game all the way through.  Ryan (Quaid) and David (Chavlovich) both finished with 29 points and it was a lot of fun for our guys as now we have to get ready for UTPB or Texas A&M-Kingsville."

The Buffs (25-8) were led by Quaid, a native of Fort Collins, Colo., who had many friends and family in attendance as he went nine of 17 from the field and a career-best 11 of 13 from the line with a career-high 29 points and 18 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Junior David Chavlovich also scored 29 points on nine of 15 from the field with five triples and went six of seven from the line, while leading the team with six assists.  Junior Jordan Evans added 13 points on five of six from the field with a triple and two free throws. 

WT shot 29 of 62 from the field, while going eight of 25 from range and 31 of 36 from the line.  The Buffs out-rebounded TAMUC 44-36 as the game had a combined 52 fouls. 

The Lions (19-11) were led by 33 points from Malik Albert on 10 of 22 from the field with two triples and 11 of 15 from the line.  Albert had a double-double with ten rebounds.  Jovan Austin added 19 points on seven of 13 from the field and five of seven from the line.  TAMUC, who trailed by 19 at halftime, roared back in the second half, outscoring WT 56-48, but the Buffs were able to weather the storm and got great free throw shooting down the stretch, along with a complete team effort.  TAMUC shot 31 of 68 from the field for .456 percent, while going just three of 14 from beyond the arc and the Lions struggled at the line, going 21 of 32. 

"We had some big rebounds and I thought that's how we got the lead in the first half as we rebounded well," Brown added.  "When we needed a big bucket, we got it and it's hard to stop really good players inside and outside (Quaid and Chavlovich).  Both had really good games today and hopefully tomorrow, too."

WT's last win in the NCAA Tournament came in 2001 as the Buffs downed St. Mary's 67-55 in Topeka, Kan., before losing to host Washburn in the second round.  The Buffs improved to 6-15 all-time in the NCAA Championship.  WT head coach Tom Brown won his 63rd game (63-30) in his third season at the helm as the Buffs have had back-to-back 20-plus win seasons since the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.  Since the 2001 season, WT has appeared in six NCAA postseasons. 

The Buffs came out on fire in their first NCAA Tournament game since 2012 as Quaid, had 11 points early on as the Buffs built a 35-21 lead through the first 13 minutes of the game.  WT opened shooting 52 percent from the field on 13 of 25, while going four of eight from range and five of six from the line. 

"I came out strong today," Quaid said.  "I got a couple of quick buckets and I think that set the tone for the game.  We know those guys really well and I just knew I had to come out aggressive and we did."

Two free throws and a bucket in transition from TAMUC, brought the Lions within 35-25 with six minutes left in the half.  Junior Tommy Gove found Evans for an easy two and a 37-25 lead with five minutes left in the half.  Chavlovich hit a floater in the lane for two and a 39-26 lead.  Evans scored his 11^th point off an offensive rebound for a 41-26 lead with 3:40 remaining in the half   Senior Joseph Prince buried a triple off an offensive rebound for a 44-26 WT lead with three minute left in the half. 

Quaid earned two tosses with 28.5 second left pushing the WT lead to 49-30 matching the largest of the game as Quaid scored a team-high 14 points in the first half in his homecoming. 

WT led 49-30 at intermission as the Buffs shot 48.6 percent on 17 of 35 from the field, while going five of 12 from beyond the arc and 10 of 12 from the line.  WT out-rebounded TAMUC 25-19 in the half and both teams had five turnovers.  Quaid led the way with 14 points off the bench on five of nine from the field, while going four of five from the line and pulled down eight rebounds.  Evans also was in double figures with 11 points. 

TAMUC shot 35.3 percent on 12 of 34, while going one of five from range and struggled from the line, going just five of 11.  Three different Lions had six points each in the half. 

The Lions scored seven of the first nine points of the second half pulling within 51-37, but Quaid earned two free throws for a 53-37 lead with 18:40 left in the second half.  The first 1:30 of the second half saw a combined five fouls between both teams.

Albert buried a triple pulling the Lions within 55-45 with 16:11 left as the Lions opened the half, scoring 15 of the first 21 points and the teams combined for nine fouls through the first media timeout with six fouls on WT.

Two more quick buckets by the Lions cut the WT lead to six at 55-49 with 14:29 left as WT called a timeout.  During the run, TAMUC opened seven of nine from the field, while WT was just one of six.  Senior Eric Golightly, Jr., earned the "and one" and pushed the lead back to nine at 58-49 with 14:03 left.    Chavlovich, off an inbounds play, hit a long two for a 61-51 score.  After a bucket from TAMUC, Chavlovich hit his third triple of the game for a 64-53 lead for game-high 18 points. 

Quaid hit is first bucket of the second half with 10:10 left pushing the WT lead to 66-57.  It was his 18^th point of the game.  Out of the eight-minute media timeout, Chavlovich scored on a drive to the bucket for 23 points, for the game and a 71-63 lead.  Quaid scored inside, and a turnover by the Lions, gave the ball back to WT leading by ten with 7:15 left and Chavlovich was fouled, shooting three.  Quaid hit two free throws tying his career-high with 24, but Albert hit a trey at the other end as WT led 80-70 with 5:36 left. 

Two more free throws from Quaid game him a career-high and an 86-74 WT lead with 3:57 left.  Albert cut the deficit to ten following the final media timeout at 86-76.  With the Buffs up seven with 1:45 left and the shot clock winding down, Quaid found Chavlovich hit a long trey in the corner for a 93-83 lead and his 29^th point of the game to lead the team.

"Quaid is an animal," Chavlovich said.  "We knew he's an animal and we were waiting for him bring it out and he's finally stepped into his own and I think it's great for us for this year and next year, too."

WT now awaits the winner of the 2/7 matchup between No. 2-seed UT Permian Basin and No. 7-seed Texas A&M-Kingsville as the Buffs will play Sunday at 6 p.m. CT in the second round.  WT's last trip past the second round came in 1997-98 as the team qualified for the Elite Eight, losing to California Davis, 63-55 in Louisville, Ky.

"None of these guys have played in a regional except Skyler O'Laughlin," Brown added.  "To get into the regional and win a game is big, so hopefully we can build on that tomorrow and for the future.  We have some really good guys who care about the game and care about each other and it's something that carries over onto the court."

Check back with www.gobuffsgso.com for the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament Central on the men's basketball schedule page with game times, links and information for the championship.