CANYON, Texas – St. Edward's men's basketball made several runs in a competitive game against West Texas A&M but couldn't quite get over the hump in an 85-76 loss to the Buffaloes.
UCHE DIBIAMAKA led three Hilltoppers in double figures with 24 points on an efficient 8-for-13 performance from the field, hitting 2-for-4 from deep and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line in 28 minutes. BLAKE NIELSEN added 28 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists, and SEAN ELKINTON posted a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double.
It wasn't enough to overcome a blistering shooting performance from behind the 3-point line for West Texas A&M. The Buffaloes hit 13-of-29 3-point attempts, outsourcing the Hilltoppers 39-18 from deep. West Texas A&M also hit all 26 of its free-throw attempts.
West Texas A&M opened up a 12-point lead early in the first half, but St. Edward's closed the gap with an 11-0 run behind three 3-pointers and a pair of free throws.
The West Texas A&M hovered in single digits until a late Addison Wallace driving layup put the Buffs ahead 48-38 at the break. Julius Brown led the Buffaloes at the break with 10 points. Larry Wise added nine on six shots, and Wallace scored seven to round out West Texas A&M's top three scorers at the break. Elkinton and Dibiamaka led St. Edward's with eight points each, and JEFF GARY and Nielsen added seven.
West Texas A&M opened created some separation with an 8-0 run nearly midway through the second half, leading to a 15-point lead with 9:38 remaining. St. Edward's responded with a 9-0 run sparked by a Dibiamaka layup off a feed from Nielsen and a 3-pointer off a GAVINO RAMOS steal.
Dibiamaka scored 16 points on eight shots after the break, and Nielsen added 11 points on seven shots to push the Hilltoppers back in the game. However, Damian Thornton and Brown were able to keep St. Edward's at bay by combining for 19 second-half points on ten made free throws.
St. Edward's drops to 20-9 with a 14-6 record after the loss. The Hilltoppers still have an outside chance to win the division, needing to sweep St. Mary's in two games next week with a Texas A&M-Kingsville split against Texas A&M International.
