T-Bird (MBB) Ties School Record with 13th Win

The T-Birds defeated Ranger College on the road 91-83 in the final game of the calendar year. 

The win moves NMJC to 13-0 and is the best start in school history. It also matches the most wins in a row by the team which was set originally in 1986-87. 

Armon Jarrard had a slow start in the first half going 0-for-7 from three to start the game. He turned it on knocking down four triples including a 3-pointer from the logo at the buzzer to give NMJC a 37-35 lead at the break.

The Thunderbirds were shaky in the second half and trailed by 10 points, 58-48, with 14:00 left in the game. A Jarrard three ball stopped the bleeding cutting the lead to seven and a quick timeout by head coach Luke Mackay helped reset NMJC with 13:36 remaining. 

The Thunderbirds took the lead in the second half on a triple by Michael Mackey which put NMJC on top 64-62 with 9:20 to go. The T-Birds made back-to-back and ones with Deuce Benjamin and Jannoy Thomas to give the Thunderbirds an 81-72 lead with 3:25 to go in the game. The Rangers were unable to recover from the 6-0 run and fell by eight points to the Thunderbirds. 

Armon Jarrard scored a team-high 24 points going 6-of-15 from the 3-point line. Deuce Benjamin finished with 18 points and five assists. Jannoy Thomas finished with 16 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Isaiah Alexander ended the game with nine points. 

The T-Birds shot 31-of-65 (47.7%) from the field, 14-of-34 (41.2%) from the 3-point line, and 15-of-23 (65.2%) from the free throw line. The Thunderbirds held the Rangers to 29% from three-point line.

The No. 2 T-Birds improve to 13-0 on the season and will play Ranger College Thursday, Jan. 2 at 4 p.m. MST in Hobbs, NM.