Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team held a halftime lead and were within two late in the second half before the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs powered through to claim the 74-63 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Saturday night.
While UCCS (10-2, 5-1 RMAC) was utilizing their size inside to tally 18 points in the opening half, WNMU (4-5, 2-4 RMAC) used their outside shooting to take and hold the lead most of the half. The Lady Mustangs connected on 50 percent (7-14) with
RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) going 2-for-2,
Stephanie Douthit (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Mountain ) with a 4-for-6 effort and
Jordan Gutierrez (Albuquerque, NM/Valley High School) added the other triple in the opening half.
The Lady Mountain Lions had an early start jumping out to a 10-5 lead five minutes in.
A 10-0 run by WNMU followed and they would hold the lead the rest of the half. During the run Newsome hit a three, then had a steal and transition layup to tie the game at 10. Gutierrez added a three-point-play before
Ashley Witherspoon (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills High School) drilled a jumper near the free throw line for the 15-10 lead near the midway point of the half.
The Lady Mustangs would stretch the lead to their largest of the half of six at the 10:44 mark on a three-pointer by Gutierrez.
UCCS would fight back to tie at 27, but WNMU ended the half on an 8-4 run to take the 35-31 lead at the break. Douthit would hit two more of her three-pointers and
Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) added two from the line to account for the final eight points.
WNMU held the advantage in points off turnovers (17-2) and bench points (18-5). Douthit led the offense with 12 points. Brittany Hernandez led UCCS with 13 points and nearly had a double-double in the first half collecting eight rebounds. Abby Kirchoff was limited to four points as she was in early foul trouble.
The Lady Mountain Lions came out of the second half shooting, fighting back to tie the game at 37 two minutes in. WNMU would answer with a 4-0 run with
Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) hitting two from the line and then a Witherspoon layup made it 41-37.
UCCS would go on a 15-4 run to take a seven-point lead at 52-45 and one they would not relinquish down the stretch.
The Lady Mustangs would get as close as two with 6:49 to play on a layup by Moore, but UCCS would end the game on a 20-11 run to take the 11-point victory.
Mitchell caught fire in the second half and ended up leading the Lady Mustangs with 15 points. Douthit added 12 and Newsome with 10. Hernandez had a huge game for UCCS leading all-players in almost every category including points (30), rebounds (16), blocks (4) and added two steals in 37 minutes. Kirchoff posted 13 second half points to end up with 17.
Rebounds were a big key with UCCS pulling down 20 more (52-32) and held a 20-6 edge on offensive rebounds. WNMU held the edge in points off turnovers (17-9) and bench points (27-8), while both teams shot under 40 percent.
WNMU will have the next week off before returning to action on Friday, January 2 at Regis beginning at 5 p.m.
