Late Turnovers Cost Texans in 82-80 Road Loss at NMJC

HOBBS, NM - South Plains College battled until the final possession Thursday night but came up just short in an 82-80 loss to New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, New Mexico.

NMJC carried a narrow edge throughout the contest, taking a 39-36 lead into halftime. South Plains responded after the break, slightly outscoring the Thunderbirds 44-43 in the second half, but the early deficit and late possessions proved to be the difference in the two-point decision.

The deciding factor came down to possessions and pressure. While South Plains shot an efficient 47.3 percent from the field and an impressive 52.4 percent from three point range, turnovers proved costly. The Texans committed 20 turnovers compared to just eight by NMJC. The Thunderbirds capitalized with 14 steals and consistently turned defensive pressure into extra scoring opportunities.

New Mexico also created second chances with 16 offensive rebounds. Although South Plains won the overall rebounding battle 42-34 and recorded six blocks, the extra possessions generated by NMJC helped offset their 40.8 percent shooting performance and 25 percent effort from beyond the arc.

Micah Bell delivered an outstanding all-around performance for South Plains with 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in 39 minutes. Jaylen Colon added 13 points, knocking down three triples, while Keith Richard finished with 13 points and a perfect 6-for-6 effort at the free throw line to go along with three assists and two steals. Off the bench, Aliou Maiga provided a strong interior presence with 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

New Mexico Junior College was led by Michael Mackey, who scored a game-high 19 points off the bench, including three three-pointers. Delang Muon and RJ Nance each added 11 points, while Kemauri Millender contributed 10 points and four steals to anchor the defensive effort.

Despite strong perimeter shooting and solid work at the free throw line, the turnover margin ultimately proved too much to overcome. South Plains now turns its focus to the final stretch of conference play as the postseason approaches.