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Western New Mexico University Athletics

Western New Mexico University Athletics
Takiyah Lopez
61
Western New Mexico WNMUW 0-8, 0-3
87
Winner Tarleton State TSUW 4-4, 1-2
Western New Mexico WNMUW
0-8, 0-3
61
Final
87
Tarleton State TSUW
4-4, 1-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Western New Mexico WNMUW 16 18 8 19 61
Tarleton State TSUW 17 29 23 18 87

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Brian Kortz

Despite Strong First Half, Tarleton State Comes Back to Down Lady Mustangs

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team erased an early eight-point deficit to take a lead in the second quarter before Tarleton State closed the half strong and then used a big third quarter to defeat the Lady Mustangs 87-61 in Lone Star Conference play Thursday night.

WNMU (0-8, 0-3 LSC) shot well from the field connecting on 24-49 (49), including a 5-15 (33) clip from three point range. It was the top shooting percentage of the season so far for the Lady Mustangs, surpassing a 41 percent effort against UT Permian Basin this past Saturday.

Junior Takiyah Lopez (El Paso, TX/Chapin) scored a season-high 15 points to lead the way as she went 4-4 in the first half and ended up 5-7 for the game, including a 2-4 effort from long range. She also pulled down three rebounds and dished out an assist. A trio of Lady Mustangs all scored eight points apiece in juniors Ashton Carrasco (El Paso, TX/Canutillo) and Megan Looney (Phoenix, AZ/Apache Junction), along with freshman Cassandra Vickery (Tularosa, NM/Tularosa). Junior Ciara Fields (El Paso, TX/El Dorado) had a team-best four rebounds and freshman Rachel Francisco (Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy) led the way with four assists. Vickery and senior Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani) had two steals each.

WNMU had strong scoring efforts in the first, second and fourth quarters going for 16, 18 and 19, respectively.

The game didn't start well for WNMU, as TSU (4-4, 1-2 LSC) rolled out to an 8-0 lead just over two minutes in. Vickery snapped the run with a three-pointer to help get WNMU back on track. That helped start a 7-0 run for the Lady Mustangs with Vickery hitting a layup off the fastbreak and then Carrasco capping the run with a jumper leaving the TexAnns in front by just one at 8-7 at the 6:34 mark.

Another run by Tarleton State again had them in front by eight at 17-9, just to watch WNMU rally back to within one as they closed the opening quarter on a 7-0 run. Lopez scored five points during the spurt as she hit two from the line, hit one from deep and then McLaughlin closed the quarter with a jumper to leave TSU with an 18-17 lead through the first 10 minutes.

Fields boosted WNMU in front for the first time 15 seconds into the second quarter when she hit a layup. The lead reached two at 22-20 a minute later when Vickery picked up a steal and later McLaughlin finished the play with a fastbreak layup.

Carrasco kept WNMU in front at 24-22 when Tarleton State began to take over. The TexAnns went on an 8-0 run to take a 30-24 lead with six minutes to go before the break.

Lopez and Botelho helped WNMU keep it close over the next few minutes as a Lopez three kept the deficit at three and then a Botelho layup with 3:48 to go in the half had TSU in front by just five before the TexAnns ended the half on a 10-3 run for the 46-34 lead at halftime.

TSU carried the momentum right into the second half, as they scored the first four points of the second stanza. Following a pair of foul shots by Fields at the 7:37 mark, the TexAnns went on a 9-0 run to push the lead to 59-36 late in the third quarter. It was a strong third frame for TSU as they outscored WNMU 23-8 to take a 69-42 lead into the final quarter.

Although WNMU outscored TSU 19-18 in the final quarter, they could get no closer than 25 points with the TexAnns taking the victory.

Most of the categories were close except for TSU holding the 27-18 edge on points off turnovers. They also held the edge on second-chance points (13-9), bench points (27-26), points in the paint (32-24) and fastbreak points (6-4).

While WNMU shot well from the field, TSU did as well making 29-51 (57), 11-18 (61) from three and 18-24 (75) at the foul line. Katie Webster had a big game going for a game-high 22 points on 7-8 shooting. McKinley Bostad (13) and Mackenzie Hailey (12) also reached double-figures. Webster also led the team in rebounds with six. Bostad dished out six assists.

WNMU will play at Texas A&M-Commerce Saturday morning starting at 11 a.m. Central Time. The Lions held off a strong challenge from Eastern New Mexico earlier today pulling out the 64-57 win in overtime.
 
 
 
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