SECOND-HALF SETBACK

By Brandon Petersen

Westcliff men's basketball couldn't sustain a strong first half and fell 75–66 to Northern New Mexico on Thursday afternoon on the road.

Westcliff led 37–32 at halftime before Northern New Mexico took control after the break, outscoring the Warriors 43–29 in the second half.

Northern New Mexico shot 56.4 percent from the field and used balanced scoring to pull away late.

Lorenzo Marsh led Westcliff with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting, knocking down five three-pointers in 39 minutes. DJ Henry added 14 points and three assists, while Jeramiah Paulino finished with 11 points and three assists.

Westcliff shot 46.2 percent from the field and 52.4 percent from three-point range, but turnovers and missed opportunities at the rim proved costly. The Warriors committed 18 turnovers and went 7-of-11 from the free-throw line.

Northern New Mexico was led by TJ Sanchez, who scored 16 points, and Jesus Mendoza, who added 13 points while hitting four three-pointers. The home team placed five players in double figures and recorded nine steals on the defensive end.

Westcliff head coach Jerred Cook said execution slipped after a solid start.

"We were up at half and lost the final by nine," Cook said. "Turnovers and missed layups hurt us. We had a game plan on how we wanted to attack their style and executed early, but we were not able to sustain."

Cook credited Northern New Mexico for responding in the second half.

"Credit to the opponent, who were scrappy, never quit, and made winning plays," Cook said.

Despite the loss, Cook said the group will use the experience as a teaching moment.

"We will learn and grow from these moments," Cook said. "Unfortunately, we won't play twice in conference. We let this opportunity slip."

Earlier in the season, Cook earned his first career head coaching win when Westcliff defeated Northern New Mexico, a milestone he noted as part of the team's ongoing growth.

"Can't wait to get back out there to compete," Cook said.

Westcliff moved to 6–7 overall and 1–3 in conference play with the loss. Up next is a trip to Nelson in Arizona Saturday.