Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – Behind a solid defensive effort that forced 29 turnovers, the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team recorded their first win in program history over Metro State University-Denver Saturday night with a 52-44 victory in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.



"We made some timely shots and it's not often that you win a game where you shoot 29 percent and get outrebounded by 16," second-year head coach Rusty Kennedy said. "With them having 29 turnovers and with us just 10, that gave us 19 more possessions essentially and that was a huge factor."


The win was the first in 10 tries for the Lady Mustangs, as they had lost the previous nine matchups dating back to the first meeting in 2007 as all of the defeats were by double-digits.


It was a struggle throughout the opening half for both teams. MSU (3-8, 2-5 RMAC) scored the first six points of the game over a four minute stretch for an early 6-0 lead. Junior center Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) got WNMU (6-7, 3-5 RMAC) on the board nearly five minutes in with a jumper in the paint.


Although the Lady Mustangs were forcing several Roadrunner turnovers, they struggled scoring in the first half. MSU-Denver moved in front to their largest lead of the night at 15-5 near the midway point of the first half on a free throw from Amy Nelson.


The shots began to fall for the Lady Mustangs after that rolling off an 8-0 run to get within two with three minutes to play in the first half. Junior point guard RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) started the run with a layup in transition off a steal. Newsome later added a pair from the line to which junior guard Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) added a jumper and Moore capped the run with a layup at the three-minute mark.


The Roadrunners would end up expanding their lead back to three to take a 20-17 advantage into halftime.


The Lady Mustangs would take a brief lead early in the second stanza on a three by Newsome two minutes in, but the Roadrunners raced back with a 6-0 run for a 26-22 lead with 16:33 to play.


The teams would continue to trade leads over the next several minutes until a three from Mitchell pushed WNMU in front for good at 42-41 near the midway point of the half.


The Lady Mustang defense would then hold MSU-Denver without a field goal over the next seven minutes and in the process expanded the lead to five following a layup by junior forward Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School).


The Roadrunners would get as close as three at 47-44 on a layup by Nelson, but that would be as close as they would get over the final two minutes with Mitchell countering with a basket on the next trip down the floor. Hernandez and Mitchell added free throws to complete the eight-point victory.


Mitchell led all-scorers with 15 points, while Hernandez reached double-figures with 10 and led the team in rebounds with seven.


Tai Jensen came off the bench to lead the Roadrunners with 10 points.


Turnovers were the key, as WNMU committed just 10 to forcing 29 and turned those turnovers into 22 points. WNMU shot 29.5 percent from the floor (18-61), while MSU-Denver connected on 17-of-46 (37). WNMU made one more three-pointer (5-4) and held a five-point spread at the charity stripe (11-6).


WNMU will remain home this coming Friday when they will face Adams State University at 5:30 p.m.