LAMAR, Colo. (Interstat) — The Lamar Community College Runnin’ Lopes used a dominant second-half performance to overcome a halftime deficit and defeat the Western Wyoming Community College Mustangs 84-75 in a men’s junior college basketball game Saturday.

The game turned decisively after halftime. Western Wyoming, which led 36-34 at the break, saw its offense stagnate while Lamar found a relentless rhythm. The Runnin’ Lopes outscored the Mustangs 50-39 in the second half, leveraging superior efficiency and rebounding to pull away.

Lamar’s victory was anchored by a standout double-double from Ahmed Cisse, who finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Gavin Dabney led all scorers with 25 points, adding seven rebounds. The duo powered an offense that, despite struggling from three-point range at 6 for 24, excelled inside and capitalized on second chances. Lamar hauled in 18 offensive rebounds, leading to a 42-26 overall advantage on the boards.

Western Wyoming was led by Paulius Narvilas, who posted 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Yair Aburus, who scored 20 points. The Mustangs shot effectively from beyond the arc, making 11 of 28 attempts, but were hampered by 22 fouls and 16 missed free throws, going 10 for 16 from the line. Lamar also struggled at the stripe, shooting 14 of 26.

The most important stretch of the game occurred early in the second half, when Lamar transformed a narrow deficit into a commanding lead. After Western Wyoming took a 40-38 edge, the Runnin’ Lopes unleashed a 17-4 run over a five-minute span. The surge was fueled by Lamar’s defensive pressure and control of the paint. A steal by Cisse led to a Christian Payawal layup. Cisse then hit a three-pointer, and RJ Foreman followed with a dunk to extend the lead to 51-42. Western Wyoming never recovered, as Lamar maintained at least a two-possession advantage for the remainder of the contest.

Lamar’s offensive rating of 117.7 points per 100 possessions outpaced Western Wyoming’s 109.3, reflecting a more efficient performance despite similar turnover numbers. The Runnin’ Lopes committed only five turnovers.

The win improved Lamar’s season record to 14-14, reaching the .500 mark. Western Wyoming fell to 7-17 with the loss, its fifth in the last six games. The result avenged a 83-69 road loss to the Mustangs when the teams met in early January.

Both teams conclude their regular seasons next week. Lamar will look to secure a winning record, while Western Wyoming aims to finish on a positive note.