SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Cameron men's basketball team could not overcome a hot-shooting night from Western New Mexico on Saturday, falling short 80-77.

While the Aggies had a strong night from the field, shooting over 47 percent, they went just 4-20 from three, and on the other side of the court, the home team Mustangs shot over 52 percent from the field and hit 13-22 from long distance. CU also totaled 16 steals in the contest and force WNMU into 17 turnovers, while turning the ball over 15 times themselves.

Tyus Momoh led the aggressive defensive charge with six steals to go along with a team-high 19 points, while Zach Dumas added five steals and 12 points and Jalen Nicholas had 14 points and three takeaways. Additionally, Brock Schreiner also had 12 points on 5-11 shooting from the field.

The game was close throughout, including at the start when a Nicholas free throw tied the game at 12 with 13:30 left in the first half. After trading makes, the Aggies used a small 7-0 run capped by an Andrew Nguyen three to go up 21-15 with 9:22 on the clock. However, WNMU responded with a 7-1 run to tie the game at 22 just two minutes later. After back and forth possessions, Cameron jumped back out by six at the 3:03 mark, but an 8-0 run by the home team in the final minutes gave them a 34-32 lead at the break.

In the first half, Cameron shot just 39.3 percent from the field while going 2-10 from three and 8-13 from the foul line. Momoh and Nicholas both had seven points during the first 20 minutes of play for the Aggies. The Mustangs recorded a shooting percentage of 52.2 percent with 60 percent clip from the three-point range. CJ Vanbeekum led the home team with eight points at the break.

Cameron battled back and forth to start the second half trading as neither team would let the other pull away. At the 11:25 mark, the Mustangs made their move, using a 6-0 run in the next minute to go up by seven. The Aggies threatened late as a Schreiner layup at the 3:25 mark got CU to within two points at 67-65. Western New Mexico answered with a 6-1 run to go back up by seven. Dumas scored five straight in the next minute to set the score at 75-72. A 5-4 swing via a layup and three pointer from Momoh cut the deficit back to two points with 24 seconds left. WNMU went to the free throw line with 14 ticks on the clock, with Jon-Reese Woodson going 1-2. The Aggies got three looks at a game-tying three pointer in their final possession, but came up short.

Vanbeekum led WNMU with 17 points, while Amarion Cash had 15 points off the bench and Woodson added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Aggies are now 8-17 overall this season and 4-11 against Lone Star Conference opponents, while the Mustangs improve to 5-16 overall and 2-12 in league play. CU sits in eighth place in the conference standings with just three games left in the regular season. MSU Texas, who the Aggies play Tuesday, is in ninth just one game behind CU while WNMU is 1.5 games back of the eighth spot.

Cameron and MSU will face off for the second time this season on Tuesday, Feb. 19 in Wichita Falls, Texas with tip off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.