Box Score DURANGO, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team held a one-point lead at halftime and stretched the advantage to as many as six early in the second half when Fort Lewis College fought back to defeat the Lady Mustangs, 71-64, Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


FLC (12-7, 9-6 RMAC) opened the scoring with a three by leading scorer Ashley Kuchar, who posted a game-high 25 points. WNMU (9-12, 6-10 RMAC) responded with a 6-0 run started by a jumper from junior center Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School). Junior point guard RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) added a jumper in the paint and junior forward Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) capped the spurt with a layup in transition for the 6-3 lead nearly four minutes in.


Freshman forward Tessa Jones (Truth or Consequences, NM/Hot Springs High School) pushed the lead to four near the midway point of the half after connecting on two from the line for a 12-8 lead. After the Skyhawks tied the game for the first time at 14, junior guard Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) drilled a three and Moore added an offensive rebound and put back to quickly get WNMU back in front by five, 19-14, with eight minutes to go before halftime.


FLC would tie the game for the second time a little later and after Newsome had the Lady Mustangs back ahead by five, 28-23, with just a few minutes to play before halftime, the Skyhawks would trim four points off the deficit leaving WNMU ahead, 30-29, at the break.


The lead reached its largest of the night of six, 37-31, nearly two minutes into the second half on a three by junior guard Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School). Although FLC kept trimming the lead, WNMU stayed in front throughout most of the half. Still in front by four on a pair of Jones free throws at the midway point of the half, the Skyhawks came back on a 9-2 to tie the game at 47 and then go in front by three at 50-47 with 7:26 to play.


After trailing by four, Newsome helped cut the deficit to one with a three-point-play off a press break and then Hernandez converted a pair from the line giving the Lady Mustangs a 53-52 lead with five minutes to play.


Newsome expanded the lead to two as she split a pair from the line. FLC then drained two from the line to tie the game and after Mitchell helped WNMU regain the lead by one after splitting a pair from the line, Kuchar hit a three to give FLC the lead for good at 57-55 with three minutes to play.


The Skyhawks held off WNMU thanks to the foul line as they hit 14 straight over the final few minutes to win by seven. The Lady Mustangs got as close as four down the stretch on a three by Young with 31 seconds to play, but the solid foul shooting by FLC sealed the win.


Moore led WNMU with 16 points, making 6-of-13 from the field, along with five rebounds, an assist and steal. Newsome added 14, while dishing out a team-high seven assists. Kuchar led FLC and all-scorers with 25 points, as she went 12-of-12 from the foul line and also led the way with 13 rebounds.


Both teams struggled from the field with WNMU making 19-of-57 (33.3) to a 27.6 percent (16-58) effort for FLC. WNMU held a 5-4 edge in three-pointers, while FLC had the advantage at the foul line (35-21).


WNMU will remain on the road as they will play at Adams State University Saturday night beginning at 5 p.m. New Mexico Highlands defeated Adams State, 46-38, earlier tonight.