T-Bird (MBB) Begins Conference 1-0
The No. 17 NMJC men's basketball team overcame a slow start against Western Texas College Thursday, Jan. 8 to win 72-49 in the WJCAC conference opener.
Some leftover holiday rust displayed itself in the first half with both NMJC and Western Texas struggling to knock down shots. The game was tied at 13-13 with just under 6:30 left in the opening half. NMJC hit their stride to close out the half going on a 21-6 run to make the score 34-19 at the break.
The Thunderbird lead ballooned to as many as 33 points in the second half but they took the pedal off the gas toward the end of the game winning 72-49 over WTC.
Sophomore forward Delang Muon was hot from beyond the arc shooting 4-for-6 to finish with 14 points and five rebounds in the 23-point win. RJ Nance and Grigorije Avramovic both chipped in nine points. Avramovic also added a team-high six rebounds.
NMJC has won five straight games since their lone loss to Collin College on Nov. 29. The Thunderbirds are 1-0 in WJCAC play for the first time since 2022.
The T-Birds shot 26-for-62 (41.9%) from the field, 7-of-29 (24.1%) from the 3-point line, and 13-of-22 (59.1%) from the free throw line. NMJC forced 23 turnovers and held the Westerners to 28% from the field.
The No. 17 T-Birds improved to 14-1 and hit the road for the second game of conference against No. 8 Howard College Monday, Jan. 12 at 7:30 p.m. CST in Big Spring, Texas. The game will be streamed on TSBN sports.
