Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Adams State University Grizzlies held a halftime lead and withstood a late push by the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team to come away with the 52-45 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Friday night.


Freshman forward Tessa Jones (Truth or Consequences, NM/Hot Springs High School) opened the scoring with two free throws two minutes in. ASU (7-6, 3-5 RMAC) came back to take the lead and open a 7-4 edge at the 12:12 mark.


The Grizzlies continued with the pressure expanding the lead to seven, 12-5, near the midway point of the half. Junior forward Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) started a quick 4-0 run with a layup in transition, to which Hernandez added another layup leaving ASU ahead 14-11 with seven minutes to go before halftime.


ASU would come back and eventually take their largest lead of the first half at 20-12 with 2:53 to go before the break on a layup by Mariah Gonzales. The Lady Mustangs (6-8, 3-6 RMAC) would trim two points off the deficit as the Grizzlies took a 22-16 lead into halftime.


WNMU came out firing in the second half, with junior point guard RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) connecting on a jumper and a layup by Hernandez in transition before a layup by junior center Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) had the Lady Mustangs to within one at 25-24 four minutes in.


Senior guard Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) pushed the Lady Mustangs in front with a timely three on an assist from junior forward Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) for a 27-26 advantage. Gonzales answered with a jumper in the paint for the Grizzlies and as it would turn out, ASU wouldn't relinquish the lead. They would get the lead back to eight at 37-29 near the midway point of the second stanza.


After cutting the deficit back to four on a number of occasions, a pair of free throws from Newsome had the Lady Mustangs to within three at 47-44 with 45 seconds to play.


ASU, though, converted from the foul line with Desiree Anderson hitting a pair from the line and after a Lady Mustang missed three, the Grizzlies would hit two more from the line to seal the victory.


Hernandez led the Lady Mustangs as she was the only one in double-figures going for 12 points and a team-high six rebounds. She also added three assists, three steals and two blocks.


Emilie Klint led three Grizzlies in double-figures with a game-high 16 points.


Both teams shot under 40 percent with ASU connecting on 16-of-42 (38.1) to 16-of-45 (35.6) for WNMU. ASU held the edge in three-pointers (3-1) and free throws (17-12). WNMU held an edge in points off turnovers (14-9), fast break points (10-6) and bench points (18-3).


WNMU will return to action on Saturday night when they welcome Fort Lewis into Drag's Court beginning at 5:30 p.m. New Mexico Highlands defeated Fort Lewis, 74-63, earlier tonight.