Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team gave the No. 5 ranked team in the nation all they could handle Friday night before the Mavericks survived with a 57-51 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory.


"Definitely pleased with the effort and the fight tonight," second-year head coach Rusty Kennedy said. "We shot around 30 percent and played within a couple of possessions with the fifth-ranked team in the nation. I thought our defense was outstanding, I thought we rebounded extremely well; was just too bad we couldn't make a few more shots."


WNMU (4-4, 1-2 RMAC) forced 21 turnovers and played solid defense throughout making the game difficult on CMU (7-0, 3-0 RMAC) all night.


The Lady Mustangs opened the scoring with a free throw by RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) two minutes in. In what was a defensive battle all game long, each team struggled for easy baskets whether in transition or on set plays.


Tessa Jones (Truth or Consequences, NM/Hot Springs High School) helped boost the WNMU lead to four at 16-12 with eight minutes to go before halftime on a layup. Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) kept the Lady Mustangs in front by four at 22-18 with 4:30 to go before the break when the Mavericks ended the half on an 8-2 run to take a 26-24 lead into the locker rooms.


The teams combined for just four points off the fastbreak, while WNMU benefited from the bench with a nine to two advantage.
CMU would push the lead to four early in the second half, but the Lady Mustangs would keep fighting as Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) got loose for a three and later Veronica Celaya (Chandler, AZ/Williams Field High School) connected on a jumper for a 34-31 lead at the 13:16 mark.


With the game tied at 35, the Mavericks began to gain some separation going on a 7-0 run to open a 42-35 lead at the midway point of the half. After reaching their biggest lead of the night of eight (49-41) with four minutes to play, the Lady Mustangs still had a run left in them.


Celaya got loose for a transition layup with 39 seconds to play leaving it just a four-point game. The Mavs, though, would convert from the foul line down the stretch to hang on for the hard-fought victory.


Each team made nearly made the same number of shots from the field, with CMU going 17-for-42 (40.5) to a 18-for-58 (31) effort for WNMU. Each team also made three, three-pointers, but CMU held an eight-point advantage at the foul line (20-12).


Celaya caught fire early for WNMU and led the way with 17 points, making 8-of-12 from the field, including a three-pointer. She also led the team in rebounds with nine. Newsome and Hernandez also scored in double-figures with 13 from Newsome and 12 from Hernandez. CMU's Sharaya Selsor led all-scorers with 22 points.


WNMU will host Western State Saturday night with gametime set for 5:30 p.m. inside Drag's Court.