Box Score GUNNISON, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team broke open what was just a one-point halftime lead to win by 19 over Western State Colorado University, 69-50, Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


"I am proud of our defense in the second half, as Nalani and Ashley Witherspoon (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills High School) really did a nice job of trying to slow down Jade McIntosh in the second half," second-year head coach Rusty Kennedy said. "Jordan, Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) and Kim made some huge shots!"


Ahead by just one at the break following a pair of free throws by junior guard Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School), 33-32, as she led all-scorers with 21, WNMU (10-13, 7-11 RMAC) used solid defense to pull away in the second half.


The Lady Mustangs held WSCU (5-18, 5-13 RMAC) to just 18 points and under 23 percent shooting to pull away. While the defense was stymieing the Mountaineers, the offense heated up hitting 52 percent from the floor and it started early with a three by Mitchell just 14 seconds out of halftime. Junior Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) added a jumper on the next trip down the floor to cap a 7-0 run and push WNMU in front, 38-32.


WSCU would get back to within four a pair of times over the next few minutes before WNMU used the three-ball to expand the lead into double-digits. Senior guard Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) hit a triple with 6:44 to play to boost the lead to 12 and start what would turn out to be a 12-0 run to seal the victory. Freshman Jordan Gutierrez (Albuquerque, NM/Valley High School) added her own shot from downtown following her defensive rebound. Mitchell and Hernandez then hit a pair of baskets before Gutierrez finished the run with a jumper to give the Lady Mustangs their largest lead of the night at 21, 69-48, with just under 20 seconds to play.


The first half was a struggle with the teams tying seven times and the lead changed hands eight times. Junior center Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) opened the scoring 15 seconds in connecting on a jumper. The lead grew to nine just a few minutes later for WNMU on a jumper by freshman Tessa Jones (Truth or Consequences, NM/Hot Springs High School), 15-6.


The Mountaineers would come back to tie the game near the midway point of the first half at 20-all on a three by Sadie Stroup. WSCU would carry that momentum to a five-point lead at the 6:13 mark on a three by Jade McIntosh, just to watch the Lady Mustangs answer with a 5-0 run to tie on a basket from Mitchell and three by junior point guard RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School).


The teams would then go back-and-forth between tied and small leads over the next few minutes when WNMU would take the one-point lead into the locker room.


Mitchell led the way going 8-of-13 from the field, including a 3-of-6 effort from three-point range to post her game-high 21 points. Clark also reached double-digits pouring in 12 points with all of her scoring coming from beyond the arc after a 4-for-8 effort from three.


WNMU shot 45.3 percent (24-53) from the field, including a 10-of-21 (47.6) effort from three. The Lady Mustangs also held an 11-3 edge at the charity stripe. WNMU held WSCU to 33.9 percent shooting (21-62), 5-of-14 (35.7) from three and tallied a strong advantage in bench points (28-9).


The 10 victories on the season is the most for the program since 2002-03 when the team won 11.


With the win, the Lady Mustangs moved to within a half game of the final RMAC Tournament spot as UC-Colorado Springs fell to Adams State (71-66) in overtime earlier on Friday. Colorado Mines defeated Black Hills State (66-40) to also move a half game out. Colorado Mesa defeated New Mexico Highlands, 71-52, earlier tonight to move the Cowgirls a game behind both WNMU and Colorado Mines. WNMU will play at No. 2 Colorado Mesa Saturday night at 5:30 p.m.