Box Score DENVER, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team fought back from a 16-point halftime deficit to get within two late before eventually falling to Regis University, 78-72, Friday night in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for both teams inside the Regis Fieldhouse.


WNMU (0-4, 0-1 RMAC) opened up their biggest lead of the first half nearly three minutes into the game as Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) drilled a three-pointer, followed by a layup from Jelesia Gray (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) to give the Mustangs a 10-7 lead.


RU (3-4, 1-0 RMAC) tallied the next eight points to open up a five-point lead, 15-10, at the 13:58 mark.


After Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School)'s jumper at the 12:05 mark pulled the Mustangs back to within three, 17-14, the Rangers once again went on a run to open up a lead.


A 7-0 spurt pushed the lead to 10 and would later reach 15 before WNMU answered with a three from Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) and a three from Amanda Tucker (Las Cruces, NM/Mayfield High School) around a free throw by the Rangers to leave RU ahead 38-28 with 2:54 to play.


RU would outscore the Mustangs by six over the final few minutes to take a 46-30 lead into the locker room.


The lead would get as high as 17 twice for the Rangers, with the last coming with 17 minutes to play before WNMU came storming back.


Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) started the Mustangs on the comeback trail with a three, which Tucker added a pair of free throws in front of a three from Lonnie Sanchez (Scottsdale, AZ/St. Mary's High School) to all of a sudden leave the Rangers ahead by just nine, 49-40, with 14 minutes to play.


Scott capped off the Mustang run with another three to trim the lead to six before RU finally answered with a three of their own after WNMU tallied an 11-0 run.


The Rangers would keep the lead back around eight with nine minutes to play when the Mustangs made another run to get back into the game.


Gray tallied a three-point-play with a layup and then a foul shot to cut the deficit to five, which Tucker then did the same with a three-point-play the hard way to leave the Rangers ahead by just two, 61-59, with 8:20 to play.


Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School) posted a pair of free throws with 6:26 to play to get the Mustangs back within three, 64-61, but that would be as close as they would be able to get the rest of the way.


RU ended up getting the lead back as high as 10, 77-67, with 1:18 to play before holding on for the 78-72 victory.


WNMU shot well from the field connecting on 25-of-56 (44.6), while Regis was close to that mark making 26-of-60 (43.3). Regis held a big advantage in offensive rebounds, pulling down 21 to six for WNMU.


Scott led the Mustangs with 17 points, including four three-pointers, while Wohltman added 14 points and four three-pointers and Tucker with 13.


Gray led the team in rebounds with eight, while also scoring eight.


WNMU will face the No. 3 team in the nation Saturday night when they play at Metro State with tipoff set for 5 p.m. The Roadrunners defeated New Mexico Highlands, 86-48, Friday night.


 
Newspaper Box Score
Western New Mexico vs Regis University
12/02/11 7:00 PM at Denver, CO / Regis Fieldhouse
At Denver, CO / Regis Fieldhouse
REGIS UNIVERSITY 78, WESTERN NEW MEXICO 72
WESTERN NEW MEXICO (0-4, 0-1 RMAC)
Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) 6-15 1-2 17; Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) 5-11 0-0 14; Amanda Tucker (Las Cruces, NM/Mayfield High School) 4-10
3-4 13; Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) 3-3 2-2 8; Jelesia Gray (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) 3-6 2-3 8; Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) 2-2 0-1
5; Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School) 1-3 2-2 4; Lonnie Sanchez (Scottsdale, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 1-4 0-0 3; Larissa Loera (Mira Loma, CA/Jurupa Valley High School) 0-2
0-0 0. Totals 25-56 10-14 72.
REGIS UNIVERSITY (3-4, 1-0 RMAC)
Tae'lor Purdy 8-21 3-5 24; Kari Ameling 4-16 6-7 14; Brandi Collins 5-6 1-2
13; Sarah Feeney 5-7 2-5 12; Meghan Hollenga 2-3 1-3 5; Miranda Martine 0-1
3-4 3; Nicole Brzeczek 1-1 0-0 3; Kara Larson 1-3 0-1 2; Erica Von Stein 0-1
2-4 2; Sarah Seefeldt 0-0 0-0 0; Kellie Deremo 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-60 18-31
78.
Western New Mexico............   30   42  -   72
Regis University..............   46   32  -   78
3-point goals--Western New Mexico 12-27 (Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) 4-7; Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School)
4-8; Amanda Tucker (Las Cruces, NM/Mayfield High School) 2-7; Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) 1-1; Lonnie Sanchez (Scottsdale, AZ/St. Mary's High School) 1-4), Regis
University 8-15 (Tae'lor Purdy 5-9; Brandi Collins 2-2; Nicole Brzeczek 1-1;
Miranda Martine 0-1; Sarah Feeney 0-2). Fouled out--Western New Mexico-None,
Regis University-None. Rebounds--Western New Mexico 28 (Jelesia Gray (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) 8),
Regis University 48 (Meghan Hollenga 9; Tae'lor Purdy 9). Assists--Western
New Mexico 15 (Amanda Tucker (Las Cruces, NM/Mayfield High School) 4), Regis University 16 (Brandi Collins 6).
Total fouls--Western New Mexico 23, Regis University 19. Technical
fouls--Western New Mexico-None, Regis University-None. A-168