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Western New Mexico University Athletics

Western New Mexico University Athletics
Ciara Fields
Jay Hemphill, WNMU
59
Western N.M. WNMU 0-10
87
Winner Arizona Christian ACU 9-1
Western N.M. WNMU
0-10
59
Final
87
Arizona Christian ACU
9-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Western N.M. WNMU 9 16 13 21 59
Arizona Christian ACU 27 21 19 20 87

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Brian Kortz

Fields Tallies 18 Points as Lady Mustangs Face Red-Hot Firestorm

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Junior Ciara Fields (El Paso, TX/El Dorado) paced the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team with 18 points, making over 50 percent of her shots. Arizona Christian University took a lead midway through the first quarter and never looked back as they shot 52 percent from the field and 44 percent from long range to take the 87-59 win over the Lady Mustangs Friday night in non-conference action.

Fields went 7-12 from the field and 3-5 from three-point range to lead WNMU (0-10). Junior Takiyah Lopez (El Paso, TX/Chapin) was right behind with 14 points on 5-12 shooting, along with a pair of three-pointers. Freshman Rachel Francisco (Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy) rounded out the three in double-figures with 10 points on a perfect night going 4-4 from the field and 2-2 from the foul line. Senior Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani) pulled down a team-best seven rebounds and Francisco dished out four assists. Freshman Cassandra Vickery (Tularosa, NM/Tularosa) came away with four steals as WNMU forced 19 turnovers.

While the Lady Mustangs forced 19 turnovers, ACU (9-1) generated 32 turnovers and turned that into a 31-18 edge on points off turnovers. The Firestorm also enjoyed great bench production as they held a 30-11 scoring advantage. Every other stat was close with ACU holding the slight edge on second-chance points (10-7), points in the paint (34-30) and fastbreak points (10-6).

The Firestorm used a strong shooting effort making 33-64 (52) and 8-18 (44) from three. They also added a solid 13-16 (81) from the foul line. WNMU had one of their best shooting performances of the year as they went 23-52 (44) from the field, both the second-best efforts of the season in terms of field goals made and percentage.

ACU opened the game on a 4-0 run and then Fields answered with a layup and then a three-pointer to give the Lady Mustangs the lead at 5-4. Lopez helped WNMU regain the lead for what would be the final time at the 6:57 mark of the first quarter when she converted a layup for the 7-6 lead.

A 9-0 run followed for the Firestorm as they ended up finished the first quarter on a 21-2 run for the 27-9 lead through the first 10 minutes.

Fields opened the second quarter hitting a three-pointer after Francisco recorded a steal on the other end of the floor to trim the deficit to 15. Similar to the first quarter, it was all Firestorm after that as they outscored WNMU 21-16 to take a 48-25 lead into halftime.

The Lady Mustangs ended up scoring 34 points in the second half, including a solid 21-20 effort to outscore ACU in the final frame. Although it was a better scoring second stanza for WNMU, ACU countered with 39 points to take the win.

Four players scored in double-figures to lead the Firestorm with Courtney Christmas going for a game-high 20 points on 8-14 shooting. Makayla Enders and Toni Davis added 13 points apiece, while Kelsey Miranda added 12 points. Suzie Castro-Larsen had eight rebounds, Christmas with four assists, along with three blocks and seven steals in 25 minutes.

WNMU will turn around and play Benedictine-Mesa tomorrow (Saturday) starting at 12 p.m. as the game will be played on a neutral floor at the Arizona Christian gym.
 
 
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