LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Westminster men's basketball team used a 19-2 second half run to lead them to a 70-51 win at New Mexico Highlands on Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
 
Westminster (3-2*, 3-0 RMAC) closed that spurt with 14 straight points and they outscored New Mexico Highlands 26-7 over the final 11:52 of action. The game was back-and-forth leading up to that point with a total of nine ties and 10 lead changes.
 
Zerrion Payton opened the decisive run with a three at the 11:48 mark that broke a 44-44 tie. Dayon Goodman capped the burst with a dunk and then a 3-pointer for a 63-46 lead with 4:10 remaining. The Griffins made 7 of 12 shots during the run and held Highlands to 1 of 10.
 
Goodman led the Griffins with 18 points on 7 of 15 shooting. He also collected a team-best eight rebounds and added three assists and one blocked shot.
 
The Griffins shot 45.3 percent from the field on the night and they had 13 assists on 24 made baskets. They got a big spark from their bench players as the reserves tallied 32 points with both Travis Devashrayee (12 points) and Mason Smith (10 points) scoring in double figures.
 
Westminster connected on nine triples and won the rebounding battle, 34-24. The Griffins held NMHU to 37.7 percent shooting and just 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.
 
Payton added 11 points and two assists for the Griffins. Marcus Bryce grabbed seven rebounds.
 
The Cowboys got 16 points from Marlon Johnson and 13 from Kieran Woods.
 
Westminster will return to action on Saturday at Colorado State – Pueblo as one of three teams at 3-0 in RMAC play. They tip against CSU-Pueblo at 7:30 p.m. MST with the game carried live on the RMAC Network.
 
(*) NCAA non-countable game rules prohibit men's basketball victories vs. California Miramar and Bristol to be counted in season record.