Homelius Erupts for 27 as Westerners Roll Past NMMI

Snyder, TX – The Westerners rang in the New Year with a dominant performance Monday night, cruising to a 78–51 victory in their WJCAC home conference opener. Isak Homelius led all scorers with 27 points, scoring 10 in the first half before erupting for 17 points after the break.

How We Got There

Western Texas jumped out to an early 8–0 run to set the tone. At the 17:10 mark of the first half, Justin McCall drilled his 50th three-pointer of the season. Fouls and turnovers allowed New Mexico Military Institute to claw back within two at 18–16, but the Westerners quickly regained control.

The teams traded baskets until the 6:43 mark, when McCall knocked down his fourth three of the half to extend the lead to 31–25. Western Texas carried momentum into halftime with a 41–31 advantage.

In the opening half, the Westerners shot 40.7 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from three-point range, while recording six steals and six blocks. McCall paced the offense early with 14 first-half points, while Homelius added 10. Both teams showed some early rust, combining for 22 personal fouls in the first 20 minutes.

Second Half

Western Texas opened the second half by breaking the game open with an 11–0 run. Homelius took complete control offensively, pouring in 17 second-half points while going a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and 5-for-5 from beyond the arc.

As a team, the Westerners shot 53.6 percent in the second half and continued to stretch the floor, finishing the game at 48.0 percent from three-point range with 12 made triples. Defensively, Western Texas clamped down, holding NMMI to just 32.7 percent shooting for the game and 29 percent after halftime.

Notes

• Shot 48 percent from three-point range
• Recorded 10 steals, the third time this season with 10 or more
• Held NMMI well below its season scoring average
• Outscored NMMI 26–6 in points off turnovers
• Justin McCall and Isak Homelius combined for 46 points

Up Next

The Westerners hit the road Thursday, January 8, traveling to face No. 17 New Mexico Junior College. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MST.