Box Score PORTALES, N.M. – With just seconds left and the game tied, the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team turned once again to junior point guard RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School). Following a basket by Eastern New Mexico University, the Lady Mustangs quickly inbounded and Newsome launched a 35-foot shoot that went through as the buzzer sounded giving WNMU the 68-65 victory over the Zias Thursday night in non-conference.


"All in all we played pretty well, credit Eastern as they made plays down the stretch," second-year head coach Rusty Kennedy said. "We got lucky and hit that buzzer beater, but we will take it!"


ENMU (6-19) had fought back from a late five-point deficit, tying the game over the next 11 seconds leaving the Lady Mustangs (11-16) with around five seconds to either win the game or go to overtime.


Junior forward Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) inbounded and Newsome raced down court before launching what would turn out to be the winning shot.


"Eastern's shot went in and Nalani took the ball out fast, so I took off down the court," Newsome recalled. "I slowed down a little past half court because I didn't think I could get all the way to the basket. Nalani yelled to shoot it and I set my feet and shot it!"


Early on WNMU controlled the tempo pushing ahead 6-0 just a minute in on threes from Newsome and senior Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School). ENMU didn't go away, as they responded with a 10-0 run to take their first lead at 10-6 with 14 minutes to go in the opening half.


It would be nip-and-tuck over the next several minutes before a free throw by senior forward Veronica Celaya (Chandler, AZ/Williams Field High School) triggered what would turn out to be a 9-0 run. Junior center Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) accounted for eight points during the run as following the foul shot by Celaya, she hit a pair of jumpers and layups, with the last shot giving WNMU their largest lead at the time of seven, 28-21, with 3:34 to go before the break.


The Lady Mustangs would only lose two points off the lead taking a 33-28 lead into halftime.


WNMU feasted on points off turnovers in the opening stanza, holding a 15-2 advantage.


The second half belonged to the Lady Mustangs in the early minutes, with Moore starting the scoring with a jumper and after a pair of Hernandez foul shots, a Newsome layup had WNMU holding an 11-point lead, 39-28, with 16:46 to play.


Clark would connect on a triple a few minutes later to give WNMU their largest lead of the night of 12, 46-34, with 13:38 to play.
The game seemed to be heading in the right direction for the Lady Mustangs when ENMU came storming back to cut the deficit to five at the midway point of the half.


Moore helped get the lead back to nine a pair of times, when a 6-0 Zias run left the WNMU lead at 59-56 with 4:12 to play.


Moore again answered the bell for the Lady Mustangs, fighting inside for a three-point-play to extend the lead back to six. WNMU would keep the lead hovering around five over the next several minutes before ENMU made their late 5-0 run to tie the game.


The 11 victories ties the 2002-03 team that won the same total.


Moore shined for WNMU, leading all-scorers with 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting. She also added eight rebounds and a steal. Newsome reached double-figures going for 17 points and six assists. Tori Tucker led ENMU with 19 points.


The Lady Mustangs held solid advantages in points in the paint (32-18), and points off turnovers (21-16). WNMU shot 46.4 percent (26-56) from the field, while ENMU made 22-of-52 (42.3). Three-pointers favored ENMU (10-4), while the foul line was near even with WNMU making one more (12-11).


WNMU will close the 2013-14 season Saturday night at New Mexico Highlands beginning at 3 p.m.