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Jan. 30, 2006

Box Score

West Texas A&M University head men's basketball coach Rick Cooper won his 400th career win as WTAMU beat border-rival Eastern New Mexico University, 93-81, Monday in a Lone Star Conference South Division contest at the First United Bank Center. The Buffs established a new season-high for points in improving to 11-0 at home this season and extending their home winning streak to 15-games.

WTAMU bounced back from Saturday's tough 68-66 loss to Tarleton State University by jumping out to an 8-2 lead and never trailed throughout, as the Buffs improved to 15-5 overall and 4-1 in LSC South play, winning six of their last seven and 10 of last 13 games.

ENMU lost for the eighth time in the last 12 games, falling to 8-12 overall and 2-3 in LSC South action.

The win was the Buffs' third-straight over the Greyhounds, improving to 49-13 all-time against their border rivals.

Four players netted in double-figures for WTAMU, led by senior forward Patrick Culver, who registered his fourth double-double of the season with a career-high 23 points and tied a game-high with 11 rebounds, as well as tying a career-high with six blocks. Junior guard/forward Damien Lolar also tallied 23 points and tied a career-high with seven assists. Senior guard Ronnie Holmes added 16 points, hitting three 3-pointers, while sophomore forward Tyler Cooper posted 13 points, his fourth game in a row in double-figures.

Sophomore guard Kyle Shields tied Lolar for game-high assist honors with seven as well, guiding the Buffs to a season-high 26 helpers.

WTAMU blistered the nets to the tune of 58.1 percent (36-of-62) from the field, including a scorching 62.1 percent (18-of-29) in the first half. The Buffs finished just off their season-high field goal percentage of 58.3 percent (35-of-60), established against Western State (Colo.) College on Nov. 25 in the SBC/Coca-Cola Thanksgiving Shootout.

The Buffs also hit 7-of-19 (.368) from 3-point range and went 14-of-23 (.609) at the free throw line.

Senior forward Patrick Culver netted a career-high 23 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season, guiding WTAMU to a 93-81 win over border-rival Eastern New Mexico Monday night at the First United Bank Center. Culver also tied a career-high by swatting six shots. {Photo by www.sportcliks.com}

ENMU also lit up the nets, finishing the night 30-of-59 (.508), including 61.3 percent (19-of-31) in the second half, as the Greyhounds scored 54 second half points, compared to 50 for the Buffs.

From behind the 3-point arc, ENMU was 6-of-16 (.375) and the Greyhounds were 15-of-19 (.789) at the charity stripe.

Four Greyhounds tallied double-digits, led by 20 points apiece from Mikal Monette and Tristan Largent, while Jolen Montoya tossed in 15 points and Donald Young added 10. Monette also pulled down 11 rebounds for his second double-double in a row.

Tyler Cooper hit a jumper at the 7:12 mark for a 25-14 WTAMU lead, the Buffs' first double-digit lead of the game. Cooper hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining in the half for a 43-27 lead that WTAMU took into halftime.

Senior guard Govinda Thomas-Carter hit a 3-pointer at the 16:02 point for a 20-point Buff lead at 55-35. ENMU trimmed the margin to 11 at 59-48 with 11:37 left, but that would be the closest the Greyhounds would get.

The Buffs will continue their two-game homestand at the First United Bank Center by hosting Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m., following the WTAMU vs. TAMU-K women's contest.

Call the WTAMU Athletics Ticket Office at 806-651-4424 for more information..

Fans can tune into the Buffalo Sports Network on KGNC 710 AM or streamed on the Internet at www.gobuffsgo.com.

-WT-