Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team snapped a 35-game losing streak behind a strong 77-56 victory over the University of the Southwest in the season opener for the Lady Mustangs Thursday night inside Drag's Court.


Western New Mexico University (WNMU) started the game strong with Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) opening with a three just 14 seconds in and Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School) added to that a layup for a quick 5-0 lead a minute in.


After the University of the Southwest (USW) came back to tie the game at nine, WNMU answered with their own run, started by a jumper by Clark, and later Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) took over with a trey from the wing and then a jumper just outside the paint for a 16-9 lead seven minutes in.


The lead would reach nine, 23-14, on a layup by Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School).USW (1-2) came back to within five, 25-20, but again the Lady Mustangs had an answer with Wohltman getting loose for another mid-range jumper and after she added another jumper, Andrea Reiff (San Diego, CA/Onate) got loose in the paint for a running jumper to leave WNMU ahead, 31-20, approaching halftime.


The lead would reach 13 on a jumper by Scott 20 seconds later and WNMU would take a 35-26 lead into the break.


The Lady Mustangs would never trail, as they would keep the lead in double-digits throughout the second half. Scott jumped the lead to 15 on a three eight minutes into the second stanza, 54-39, and after Hamilton hit a pair from the free throw line, Wohltman delivered another quick-release three for a 59-39 lead nine minutes in.


The lead would move to over 20 a few minutes later with Clark dialing long distance and Wohltman split a pair from the line for a 24-point lead. The run would continue thanks to a jumper by Reiff and a layup by Hamilton for the largest lead of the night of 28, 70-42, with five minutes to play.


WNMU would keep the lead in the 20's over the final few minutes for their first win since a 67-61 win at home over Chadron State on Jan. 15, 2011.


 Wohltman led four Lady Mustangs in double-figures with 22, shooting the lights out going 9-for-16 from the field, including a 3-for-9 effort from downtown. She also had five rebounds, two blocks and three steals. Scott tallied a double-double going for 15 points and 11 rebounds. Clark added 14, hitting four, three-pointers and Hamilton with 11 points and six rebounds.


WNMU shot over 47 percent (29-61) from the field, and held USW to just under 28 percent (17-61). Each team hit eight, three-pointers.


WNMU will hit the road for their next contest when they will play at Texas A&M International on Tuesday with gametime set for 7 p.m.

 
WESTERN NEW MEXICO 77, UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHWEST 56
UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHWEST (1-2)
Anika Hostos 7-17 6-7 25; Destiny Thomas 4-6 0-0 10; Johnnelle Kapua 2-9 5-6
9; Kim Russell 2-3 0-0 5; Nikki Sylvester 1-8 1-2 3; Roberta Ortiz 0-11 2-2
2; LaTeasha Shelton 1-4 0-0 2; Brittany Martinez 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 17-61
14-17 56.
WESTERN NEW MEXICO (1-0)
Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) 9-16 1-2 22; Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) 5-12 4-6 15; Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) 5-9 0-0 14;
Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School) 4-8 3-3 11; Andrea Reiff (San Diego, CA/Onate) 2-7 2-2 6; Veronica Celaya (Chandler, AZ/Williams Field High School) 2-3 0-0
4; Sasha Montez (Waianae, HI/Nanakuli High School) 1-2 0-0 2; Larissa Loera (Mira Loma, CA/Jurupa Valley High School) 1-2 0-0 2; Susie Guerrero (Willcox, AZ/Willcox High School) 0-0 1-2
1; Cassie Arias (Silver City, N.M./Silver) 0-0 0-0 0; Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-61 11-15 77.
University of the Southwest...   26   30  -   56
Western New Mexico............   35   42  -   77
3-point goals--University of the Southwest 8-34 (Anika Hostos 5-11; Destiny
Thomas 2-3; Kim Russell 1-2; Roberta Ortiz 0-7; LaTeasha Shelton 0-1;
Brittany Martinez 0-3; Nikki Sylvester 0-4; Johnnelle Kapua 0-3), Western
New Mexico 8-29 (Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) 4-8; Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) 3-9; Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) 1-6;
Veronica Celaya (Chandler, AZ/Williams Field High School) 0-1; Sasha Montez (Waianae, HI/Nanakuli High School) 0-1; Andrea Reiff (San Diego, CA/Onate) 0-4). Fouled
out--University of the Southwest-Nikki Sylvester, Western New Mexico-None.
Rebounds--University of the Southwest 33 (Destiny Thomas 6), Western New
Mexico 47 (Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) 11). Assists--University of the Southwest 10
(Johnnelle Kapua 5), Western New Mexico 17 (Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) 3; Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School)
3). Total fouls--University of the Southwest 13, Western New Mexico 14.
Technical fouls--University of the Southwest-None, Western New Mexico-None.
A-275