Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – Just like the night before, the game went back-and-forth down the stretch with each team having a chance to come away with the victory. With the game tied with less than 10 seconds to play, a late foul call and subsequent free throws lifted Western State Colorado University past the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team, 60-58, Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


WNMU (4-5, 1-3 RMAC) held a late 51-49 lead with 6:31 to play. The lead would then stay within two points for each team or tied down the stretch. WSCU (4-5, 4-0 RMAC) came back to tie the game and then go in front by two on a layup by Jade McIntosh for a 53-51 lead. A minute later, Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) would answer with a layup to knot the game again, this time at 53 with 4:40 to play.


Cara Walderman put the Mountaineers back in front with a three, just to watch Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) answer for the Lady Mustangs to tie the game at 56 with two minutes left. The teams would then trade possessions before a key offensive rebound a put back by Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) had WNMU in front, 58-56, with 1:18 to play.


WSCU would miss and jumper, collect the offensive rebound and then miss again allowing Clark to collect the rebound with under a minute to play. The Lady Mustangs would try a three and on the fight for the loose ball, it was last touched by WNMU giving possession to WSCU.


The Mountaineers worked the ball around before finding Desiree Smith inside who hit the jumper to tie the game with 12 seconds to play. WNMU would look to push tempo, but the ensuing shot was block near the top of the key and on the loose ball, a foul was called on WNMU. Harlie Williams came through with a pair from the line with .7 left leaving WNMU no time to get a shot off and WSCU the two-point win.


The Mountaineers started the game strong running out to a 15-3 lead nearly seven minutes in. WNMU would chip away coming back to tie the game at 18 on a three-point-play by Newsome with 3:48 to go before halftime. WSCU would outscore WNMU by two over the rest of the half to take a 25-23 lead into the locker rooms. WNMU worked their way back into the half behind a 10-2 advantage on points off turnovers.


Hernandez pushed WNMU in front just over two minutes into the second half on a layup for the 27-25 advantage. The lead reached as high as nine at the 14:31 mark on a three from Newsome. They would continue to hold the lead until 9:44 left to play when WSCU came back to tie the game at 45 setting up the exciting finish.


Newsome led all-scorers going for 21 points, as she also had six rebounds, five assists and a steal. Clark reached double-figures with 11 points. Hernandez led the way in rebounds with eight. McIntosh led WSCU with 20 points.


WSCU shot 41.5 from the field (22-53), while WNMU connected on 22-of-71 (31). Each team made six, three-pointers and WSCU held a two-point edge in free throws (10-8). WNMU held the advantage in points in the paint (24-14), points off turnovers (18-7), second-chance (11-7) and bench points (12-4).


The Lady Mustangs will hit the road next week when they will face CSU-Pueblo on Friday night beginning at 5:30 p.m.