by DURANGO, Colo. – Falling behind by as many as 13 midway through the first half, the Western New Mexico University women’s basketball team worked their way back to take a second half lead before Fort Lewis College closed the game strong to take the 64-52 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Saturday.
“Hard to win many games when you shoot 25 percent, we just were not sharp in any phase of the game tonight,” Head Coach Rusty Kennedy said. “Have to come in and try to get better this week.”
FLC (8-5, 5-4 RMAC) held WNMU (6-7, 4-6 RMAC) to just five points over the first 12-plus minutes and in the process had opened an 18-5 lead. Ashley Mitchell (Navajo Nation) and RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School)helped trim the deficit to four with just a few minutes left in the half as Mitchell converted a layup and Newsome a three to make it a 24-20 Lady Skyhawks lead.
Following a spurt by FLC, Ashley Witherspoon (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills High School)connected on two from the charity stripe and then Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) came away with a defensive rebound and then layup on the other end. In the process she was fouled and would convert the old fashioned three-point-play leaving WNMU down by just one, 26-25, at halftime.
The numbers mirrored each other for both teams through the first 20 minutes as each team made 25 percent from the field, both teams made eight free throws and also committed 10 turnovers.
Moore continued her string of points into the second half as she came away with an offensive rebound and was fouled hitting both from the line to put WNMU in front for the first time at 27-26.Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani High School) extended the lead to the largest of the night for the Lady Mustangs on the next possession as Botelho tallied a steal and fast break layup.
Over the next few minutes FLC would come back with a 9-0 run to open a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
A Botelho layup off a steal and assist from Newsome brought WNMU back to within three with 14:37 to play. Another Lady Skyhawks scoring run would follow and a Mitchell three near the midway point of the second stanza had WNMU down by just four, but that would end up being as close as they would get.
Mitchell was the only Lady Mustang to reach double-figures with 10. She also added five rebounds and a team-high four steals. Moore and Jordan Gutierrez (Albuquerque, NM/Valley High School) added nine, while Botelho and Newsome tallied eight apiece.
Kaile Magazzeni led FLC and all-scorers with 20 points. Both teams struggled from the field with WNMU connecting on 17-of-66 (25.8), while FLC made 20-of-60 (33.3). WNMU held a 5-1 edge on three-pointers and FLC had a 23-13 advantage from the foul line.
WNMU will return home on Friday night to face Black Hills State beginning at 5:30 p.m.
