Jan. 23, 2008

Box Score

CANYON, Texas - Led by a career-high 31 points from senior guard Robert Lee, the West Texas A&M men's basketball squad won its fifth straight contest and remained unbeaten in Lone Star Conference South Division play as the Buffs downed Midwestern State, 76-62, Wednesday at the First United Bank Center.

With the victory, the WT improves to 13-5 on the season and a perfect 3-0 in league action, while MSU drops to 8-9 on the year and 0-3 in conference play.

A flurry of missed lay-ups plagued the Buffs during the first half, as they shot 40.7 percent for the period. But the team was lifted by five three-point baskets, including a pair from senior guard Robert Lee - the second of which came with just eight second remaining in the half - to send the Buffs to the locker room with a 34-32 advantage.

After retaking the floor for the second half, the Buffs were hot from the field and converted four of their first six shot attempts and were able to build an eight-point advantage, 47-39, on a pair of free throws from Kyle Shields followed by a Pierre Barlow fast break lay-up at the 14:20 mark.

Back-to-back dunks by Andre Hill with just over three minutes to play help WT's advantage swell to 12 points. The Buffs would remain in control for the rest of the game as they ended play with a 14-point lead.

For Lee, his previous season high point tally came in the season opener against UC-Colorado Springs, when he recorded 28. The Fort Worth, Texas native now leads the Buffs in scoring this season with a 15.6 points per game but has stepped up his game in LSC South play where he averages 26 points a contest.

Wednesday was the last Buff basketball game at the First United Bank Center for almost a whole month as WT will now embark on a five-game road trip takes them away from home until Feb. 16 against Eastern New Mexico.