SILVER CITY, N.M. – The first quarter went the way the Lady Mustangs wanted. After that, Colorado Christian University took control on their way to taking the 74-54 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Saturday night.

WNMU (5-7, 3-4 RMAC) came out on fire posting 21 points in the opening quarter and held CCU (8-3, 5-2 RMAC) to just 11 points. With the game tied at six, Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani ) and Desiree Smith (Phoenix, AZ/Tolleson Union ) combined for back-to-back baskets to open a 10-6 lead. Still holding a three-point lead late in the quarter, Jayla Brown (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista ) helped ignite a 7-0 run to close the first 10 minutes. Jada Grady (Louisville, KY/Seneca ) added a trey and Kenzie Rinehart (Deming, NM/Deming ) drilled a jumper in the paint for the 21-11 lead.

The Cougars then came alive in the second quarter using points in the paint and fastbreak opportunities to go on an 18-3 run over the first seven minutes to open a 29-24 lead.

Smith and Deandra Williams (Rosenburg, TX/Terry ) helped bring the deficit back to one, but that would be as close as the Lady Mustangs would get the rest of the first 20 minutes with CCU taking a 31-28 lead into the locker room.

Botelho and Williams hit on back-to-back jumpers to start the third quarter that had the Lady Mustangs back in the lead at 32-31.

That would be the last lead of the night for WNMU with CCU responding with a 20-8 run the remainder of the frame to open a 51-40 lead after three.

A Botelho jumper to start the fourth quarter and later a three by Jordan Gutierrez (Albuquerque, NM/Valley ) had WNMU back to within nine both times, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the way with the Cougars taking the victory.

Botelho and Gutierrez each reached double-figures in points to lead WNMU with Botelho going for 12 and Gutierrez with 10. Botelho also led the way in rebounds with seven.

Kate Louthan and Ali Meyer dominated inside for the Cougars with each posting double-doubles. Louthan had a game-high 26 points, along with 10 rebounds. Meyer added 19 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Meyer also added four steals.

As a team, CCU held a 51-35 edge on the glass and made 28-64 (43.8) from the field. WNMU connected on 19-67 (28.4) and made four three-pointers to three for CCU. CCU held the edge at the foul line making 15 to 12 for WNMU. CCU also dominated on points in the paint (44-26) and fastbreak (18-6).

WNMU will have a short turnaround as they will play at Division I New Mexico State on Monday in an exhibition contest beginning at 7 p.m.