Wildcats drop heartbreaker

Saturday, February 19

Portales, NM

9 pm (CST)

Abilene Christian

Eastern New Mexico

Photo by: Willis Glassgow

2/19/2011 9:49:31 PM | Men's Basketball

PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico drilled three 3-pointers in the final 57 seconds of the game Saturday to rally from a late deficit to take a 79-77 win over ACU in Lone Star Conference South Division men's action at Greyhound Arena.

The loss drops the Wildcats to 9-15 overall and 1-11 in the LSC South Division. ACU will return to action Wednesday in Stephenville against Tarleton State.

The Wildcats – who led by as many as 15 points (68-53 with 9:32 left in the game) – led 76-69 with 1:02 to play after Zach Williams made a pair of free throws.

But Greyhound guard Michael Maya drilled a 3-pointer with 57 seconds left, and after a turnover by Giordan Cole on the inbounds pass, Tralyn Hardin drilled another 3-pointer to cut the ACU lead to 76-75 with 46 seconds to play.

After Preston Davis made the second of two free throws to give ACU a 77-75 lead with 43 seconds left, Harden buried another 3-pointer with 25 seconds left to give the Greyhounds a 78-77 lead.

Ben Warton missed a layup with nine seconds to play, and Cole turned the ball over after grabbing the offensive rebound. Maya made the second of two free throws with six seconds to play to make it 79-77 and Williams missed a shot at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime.

Williams led the Wildcats with 24 points on 7 of 15 shooting, while Vladimir Gavranic had 14 points and Davis 10 for the Wildcats.