DENVER, COLO. Ashley Mickens had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 21-ranked Metro State to a 62-46 win over Western New Mexico in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women's basketball game, Saturday night at the Auraria Events Center.
With the win, Metro State improves to 12-3 overall, 5-2 in the RMAC, while Western New Mexico falls to 3-9 overall, 3-4 in the RMAC.
Metro State led 33-19 at the break but stretched it out to as many as 29, 58-29, with 7:40 remaining in the game. The Roadrunners hit four treys and a traditional three-point play during the run.
However, Metro State went cold, going scoreless for almost four minutes late in the game, and Western New Mexico responded with a 17-2 run to close to within 16, 61-46, with 1:48 to go. The Mustangs ran out of time, though, and Metro State posted the win.
Megan Johnson had 12 points, while Anne-Marie Torp added 11 points for the Roadrunners.
Western New Mexico was led by Tannesia Manley's 12 points and six rebounds, while Whitney Lewis added nine points and eight boards.
Metro State outscored the Mustangs at the free-throw line, 14-6, as Western New Mexico had just seven attempts at the charity stripe. The Roadrunners also forced 20 turnovers and posted 17 assists on their 20 field goals.
Both teams shot poorly, combining to go 39-for-128 from the field (30 percent). Western New Mexico held a slight edge on the boards, 47-44.
Metro State opened up a 16-point lead, 26-10, with less than eight minutes remaining in the first half, but then went 5:30 without a point as the Mustangs cut it to 10, 29-19, with under a minute to play.
The Roadrunners scored the last four points of the half to take a 14-point advantage at the break.
Mickens scored eight of Metro State's first 10 points, while Manley had Western New Mexico's first eight points.
The Mustangs shot just 24 percent in the first period, including 1-for-8 from long range. Mickens had 13 points in the opening 20 minutes.
The women stay on the road for their next two games, playing at Adams State, Wednesday, then taking the court Thursday at Colorado State-Pueblo.
