YUMA, Ariz. – The Arizona Western Matadors Men's Basketball team (13-3, 6-2) couldn't hang on to a second-half lead and fell 96-90 to Pima (15-1, 7-1) on Wednesday evening at Aztec Gymnasium in Tucson, Ariz.  

Yaxel Lendeborg finished as the Matadors' leading scorer with 21 points while Marquis Hargrove ended the night with 19 points in the loss.

The Matadors opened the game on a 13-0 run fueled by a Hargrove three-pointer and a pair of Mark Milivojevic dunks.

Milivojevic scored six points in the loss while grabbing seven rebounds.

Pima used a run to take a 30-25 lead with under six minutes to play in the first half before Evan Butts stopped the run with a three-pointer, cutting the Aztecs' lead to 30-28. The three-pointer from Butts sparked a run for the Matadors, putting Arizona Western in front by two at 32-30.

Butts was the Matadors' third-leading scorer, scoring 18 points, and hitting three three-pointers on seven attempts.

The Aztecs built a four-point lead late in the half before Markees Willian hit a deep two-point jumper to cut the deficit to two points and then Malakai Harris buried a corner three to give the Matadors a 39-38 lead at the half.

The two teams traded baskets in the opening minutes of the second half before Pima grabbed the lead back at 55-54 on a three-pointer with under 14 minutes to play. The lead changed hands for the next five minutes before Lendeborg ignited a 5-0 run, hitting a three-pointer before breaking out for a dunk, giving the Matadors a 68-64 lead with under 10 minutes to play.

Pima grabbed the lead back once more and did not relinquish it as the Matadors fell 96-90.

The Matadors will head to Thatcher, Ariz. on Saturday, January 14, for their first meeting with Eastern Arizona at 5:30 pm.