SILVER CITY, N.M. – Chadron State College men's basketball team suffered a 78-76 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference loss to Western New Mexico University Saturday evening in Silver City.
 
The Eagles, now 3-13 and 2-10 in the RMAC, were in another nip and tuck battle Saturday against the Mustangs. In Saturday's showdown, the two teams combined to trade the lead 10 times and the game was tied nine times.
 
For the entire second half, Western New Mexico and Chadron State went basket for basket, going down to the wire. With just under a minute left, the Mustangs built a seven-point lead. However, Chadron State's Roderick Butler hit a clutch 3-pointer with 30 seconds left and on the following possession Josiah Lee grabbed a huge rebound and found Evan Brooks for a trey with 13 seconds left to bring the Eagles within 75-74.
 
With a slim lead, Western New Mexico's Brandon Williams sank two free throws with 10 seconds left and then fouled Kendrick Holliman with six seconds to play. Holliman sank both shots to bring the game back to one point, but Western New Mexico's Terrez Scott hit one of two from the charity stripe before the Eagles came up short on the game-winning attempt.
 
The Mustangs jumped out to an early lead following a 10-0 run to open the first half, but the Eagles clawed their way back into the game, and following two quick layups by Lee, took a lead with 20 seconds remaining in the first half. Chadron State would end up surrendering a last second distance shot, ending the half trailing, 37-36.
 
Brooks, who went eight for 15 from the field, including 50 percent from beyond the arc, led the Eagles with 22 points and five rebounds. Holliman scored 14 and had six boards, while freshmen Butler and Sharif Black added a dozen each.
 
Also for Chadron State, Davante McCallam had a game-high eight rebounds, and Lee had six assists and seven boards.
 
Western New Mexico's Marcos Castrillo and Steven Loucks combined for 33 points on 14 of 24 shooting and 17 rebounds to lead the team. Additionally, Scott had six assists and 15 points, while Adam Kesler shot 50 percent from the field and added 10 points.
 
Chadron State returns to action Friday, Jan 23, when the team hosts CSU-Pueblo and Saturday against the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, following the women's games.