Box Score ALPINE, Tex. – Holding a lead by as many as 38, the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team cruised to a 82-46 victory against Sul Ross State Monday evening.

"We have to play better than we did tonight, Sul Ross played with more passion and energy!" Head Coach Rusty Kennedy said. "It gets real this weekend with RMAC play and we will have to be at our best."

Thirteen players tallied at least a point, while the Lady Mustangs (2-1) shot 57.1 (36-63) percent from the floor, while holding the Lady Lobos (1-3) to a 30.9 (17-55) percent clip.

WNMU came out of the gates tallying the first six points with Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) pouring in a pair of baskets around a layup by Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School).

The lead reached 10 at the 15:14 mark on another basket by Hernandez for the 12-2 advantage.

After Sul Ross got back to within seven, Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani High School)'s jumper would start a 9-0 run to put the game out of reach. Tessa Jones (Truth or Consequences, NM/Hot Springs High School) followed with a layup, Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) connected on a three and then added a layup for the 25-9 lead with eight minutes to play before the break.

That would end up being the spread at halftime with WNMU holding a 39-23 lead. The Lady Mustangs dominated on points in the paint tallying a 30-10 advantage.

RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School), Moore and Mitchell all combined for a 6-0 run to push the lead into the 20's five minutes into the second stanza.

A Stephanie Douthit (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Mountain ) three moved the lead over 30 and then baskets by Douthit and Ashley Witherspoon (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills High School) had the advantage at 38 with just over a minute to play in the contest.

Hernandez led the way with 10 points and also added five rebounds. Mitchell added nine, while Douthit and Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) scored eight apiece. Newsome led in assists with four, Jones collected seven rebounds, while Mitchell, Hernandez and My'Kale French (Racine, WI/Case High School) all tallied a team-high two steals.

Outside of the strong shooting night, WNMU also led on the glass (44-23), points in the paint (48-16), points off turnovers (20-17), second-chance (23-13) and bench (46-14).

WNMU will return home to open up RMAC play this Friday when they host Colorado Mines beginning at 5:30 p.m. inside Drag's Court.