SILVER CITY, N.M. – Five St. Edward's men's basketball team scored in double figures, and the Hilltoppers bounced back with an 86-65 victory over Western New Mexico. 
 
SEAN ELKINTON led St. Edward's with 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting. The sophomore big man scored the Hilltoppers' first six points, giving St. Edward's its first lead on a fast break jumper in the paint at 6-4. The Hilltoppers would never trail again. 
 
Elkinton scored 14 points in the first half, hitting 6-for-8 from the field, working off feeds from GAVINO RAMOS and BLAKE NIELSEN for four buckets, driving for a layup, and hitting the offensive glass for another. 
 
Western New Mexico kept the game close for five minutes, pulling to within 12-9 on a short jumper from Prosper Obidiebube, but St. Edward's reeled of a 13-0 run to go up double digits with a parade of free throws. 
 
CONOR MCMANUS started the run by drawing a foul on a 3-pointer, making all three. Then, Ramos went to the charity stripe on back-to-back trips for four points, followed by a 3-pointer. BENNETT MOHN capped off the run with another 3-pointer for the 25-9 lead with 10:58 remaining in the first half. 
 
Ramos scored eight points on just one field goal attempt in the first half, going 5-for-6 from the free-throw line. Mohn and JAYDEN JOHNSTON sparked St. Edward's with 12 points off the bench, and the Hilltoppers shot 53.6 percent from the field to take the 49-35 halftime lead. 
 
St. Edward's carried the momentum in the second half, building its lead as high as 24 points on a Mohn 3-pointer to go up 73-49 with 8:15 remaining. 
 
Ramos continued a recent string of scoring runs, scoring nine points on six shots in the second half to finish with 17 points on 5-for-7 shooting with five rebounds and three assists. The performance follows his 25-point effort against Eastern New Mexico and double figures in seven of nine games played.
 
Nielsen and JEFF GARY added 11 points each, with Nielsen adding seven rebounds and five assists. Mohn led the bench, scoring 12 points and hitting 3-for-7 from deep. Johnston added eight points, five rebounds, and two assists as the St. Edward's bench outscored its counterparts 26-17. Obidiebube led Western New Mexico with 21 points, and LaMarqus Merchant added 10. 
 
St. Edward's improves to 6-3 with a 1-1 conference record. The Hilltoppers will return home and host Southwestern on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.