Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team fought hard, but in the end the No. 4 Colorado Mesa University Mavericks were too much coming away with the 77-61 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Saturday night.


Colorado Mesa University (CMU) opened strong, scoring the first five points of the game in the first two minutes. Western New Mexico University (WNMU) would break the run with a jumper in the paint from Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School) at the 17:42 mark.


CMU (22-1, 18-1 RMAC) would jump the lead to 11, 25-14, just past the midway point of the opening stanza, but the Lady Mustangs would fight back.


Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) started a quick 4-0 run with a layup and then Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School) drew a foul and hit both foul shots leaving CMU ahead, 25-18.


The Mavericks would again push the lead back to 11 and WNMU (4-19, 3-16 RMAC) would get as close as six, 31-25, with Veronica Celaya (Chandler, AZ/Williams Field High School) and Wohltman hitting jumpers.


CMU would close the half on a 5-0 run to take a 36-25 lead into the locker room.


WNMU opened the second half with a layup by Jelesia Gray (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) to trim the deficit to nine to only watch CMU go on an 8-0 run over the next minute to open a 44-27 lead.


CMU would build the lead as high as 19, 52-33, at the 14:48 mark when the Lady Mustangs would come back.


Wohltman started the run with a three and after Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) hit two from the line, Gray made it a 52-42 game at the 10:37 mark on a layup.


WNMU would get as close as nine down the stretch when Scott connected on a step-back three at the 3:49 mark to make it a 68-59 game, but CMU responded with a 4-0 run and they would hold the lead the rest of the way.


Wohltman led the way for the Lady Mustangs going for 17 points, while Gray added 16 and Scott had 13. Kelsey Sigl led CMU and all scorers going for 31 points and 10 rebounds.


Both teams shot well from the field, with CMU hitting right at 50 percent (26-52), while WNMU made 25-of-57 (43.9). CMU made one more three-pointer (6-5) and they held a big advantage at the foul line (19-6).


WNMU will hit the road next Friday as they will play at Colorado Christian University with tip at 5:30 p.m.