CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M men's basketball forced 22 turnovers while holding the Mountaineers of Western Colorado to 36.5% from the field in a dominant 71-48 win. The Buffs improve to 3-0 on the season while the Mountaineers fall to 1-1.
The Leaders
Zach Toussaint scored a game-high 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting including 3-of-4 from behind the arc to lead the WT offense.
Kieran Elliott also reached double figures, scoring 17 points, and came one rebound shy of a double-double.
How It Happened
Western Colorado kept the Buffs within reach in the game's opening minutes, never letting WT lead by more than a few points. The Buffs found their stride when Toussaint went on a quick 5-0 run by himself with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. As the first half came to an end, WT scored 10 points over the final 4:17 while holding the Mountaineers scoreless.
Riding the momentum from the end of the first period, the Buffs started the second half on a 15-point run. Western Colorado found its first points in the second half on a free throw by Tyler Halligan to snap a 10:23 scoreless stretch that dated back to the end of the first half. With a comfortable lead, WT sustained its lead to close out the game.
Inside the Box Score
- WT leads the all-time series 8-2
- Head coach Tom Brown moves to 5-2 against the Mountaineers.
- WT shot 49.1% (28-of-57) from the field, 33.3% (3-of-9) from deep, 60.0% from the charity stripe with 32 rebounds, six assists, three steals, two blocks, and 11 turnovers.
- WCU shot 36.5% (19-of-52) from the floor, 35.7% (5-of-14) from the 3-point range, 41.7% at the free throw line with 37 rebounds, seven assists, one block, three steals, and 22 turnovers.
Up Next
WT continues regional action against MSU Denver on Thursday, Nov. 16 at the First United Bank Center. Tipoff is slated for 2:30 p.m.
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