PHOTOS BY RICHARD AKRIDGE Lampasas senior Heath Hopson rejects a shot attempt under the basket during the Badgers' 56-51 win over Westwood Tuesday. The Badgers needed a win over Westwood but, more importantly, they wanted a win.

So, they took it.

After going on a five-game losing skid that included an ugly fourgame stretch during the Hays tournament last weekend, Lampasas reevaluated its situation, refocused and showed renewed desire in a 56- 51 home court victory over the Warriors Tuesday night.

Despite more accurate shooting and a dedication to crashing the boards, guard Astin Murray contributed the victory to a much-improved intangible.

"We played with a lot of heart," Murray said. "We played with heart and a lot of intensity, and we played as a team. We were very focused tonight."

Murray, a 5-10 junior, put to- gether his best all-around effort of the season, scoring nine points, dishing out a pair of assists and recording a steal off the bench. In the waning moments of the third quarter, he tied the game on a 3-pointer after Westwood erased an 11-point halftime deficit to take its first lead since the opening quarter.

Eduardo Davila (right) takes a charge as a Westwood player drives to the basket. "You have to keep your mind in the game," Murray said. "That's what [coach Scott Harrelson] tells us all the time. When you go in, you have to play with a higher intensity so he doesn't have to backtrack and take us out after that.

"That just makes us play harder."

Moments after Murray's three, Vann Millican spotted an open Warren Scott, who drained another trey as time expired in the period, giving the Badgers a six-point advantage to start the fourth quarter.

Lampasas never looked back and did not allow Westwood to get closer than four points for the remainder of the contest.

Senior Heath Hopson finished with a game-high 21 points to go with 12 rebounds, two steals, two blocks and an assist. Hopson scored half of the Badgers' 16 fourthquarter points after spending time on the bench with foul trouble earlier in the game.

Eduardo Davila goes up for a layup against Westwood. The junior forward finished the game with four points, four rebounds and a pair of assists. "Foul trouble was a big key to the game, but I really try not to think about it," Hopson said. "[On] defense, I actually have to let up a little bit.

"I know my teammates can pick up a little bit more [on offense]."

Jordy Carnes tallied 12 in the game and Scott, limited by an injured ankle, chipped in five.

The Badgers (4-10) used an 11-2 run to jump out to a 15-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and padded their cushion by scoring the first 10 points of the second period. For the quarter, Westwood shot just one of 16 from the field as Lampasas built a 27-16 halftime advantage.

"Our defense [in] the first half was really good," Harrelson said. "I think that was the difference. To hold a 5A school to 16 points in the first half is just really good defense."

The Warriors rallied after intermission, however, draining a trio of 3-pointers en route to regaining the lead at 37-34 before the Badgers' back-to-back long balls from Murray and Scott put Lampasas back in the driver's seat for good.

5-10 junior guard Astin Murray (10) fights for a loose ball under the basket. Against Westwood, Murray had his best all-around game of the season, posting nine points, three assists, a rebound and a steal. Along with Murray, starting guard Colton Perkins received high praise from his coach after the game.

"They still made some mistakes, but they weren't afraid," Harrelson said. "They really got in there and mixed it up, got rebounds and boxed out a few times.

"I have to give those two guys lots of credit for this win. They stepped up their game to where I'd like to see them."

The Badgers will try to build on the victory tonight when they return to the court for a home game against Llano at 6:30 p.m. before hosting Groesbeck on Monday.

"I don't want to say it's an easy schedule, but it's a schedule [where] if we play like this then we can win a few games and get on a roll [before district play begins]," Harrelson said.

Lampasas opens its district schedule Jan. 16 at Lake Travis.