by SILVER CITY, N.M. – Going back-and-forth into the second half, the Western New Mexico University women’s basketball team was finally able to pull away late to defeat Adams State University, 65-56, Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action. The 12 wins on the season is the most for the program since claiming 13 during the 1997-98 season.
After shaking off a slow early start that had ASU (3-17, 3-13 RMAC) ahead 4-0, WNMU (12-9, 9-8 RMAC) got things going with a jumper by Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School). Ashley Mitchell (Navajo Nation) added a jumper and then a transition layup by Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) had the Lady Mustangs in the lead for the rest of the half at 6-4. It would end up being a 9-0 WNMU run with Stephanie Douthit (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Mountain ) dialing long distance for a three at the 13:36 mark for a 9-4 lead.
After the Lady Grizzlies trimmed the deficit to two near the midway point of the half, the Lady Mustangs would stretch the lead as large as 11 on a fastbreak layup by Moore for the 28-17 lead with four minutes to go before the break.
ASU wouldn’t go away, as they closed the half on an 8-2 run leaving WNMU ahead, 30-25, at halftime.
Mitchell (9) and Moore (8) led WNMU scoring through the opening 20 minutes. WNMU shot well from the field making 13-of-27 (48.1) while holding ASU to a 9-of-31 (29) effort. J’nae Squires-Horton and Lena Jaycox powered ASU with each going for seven in the first half.
The Lady Mustangs looked ready to run away with it, moving the lead back to nine a few minutes in on a layup by Moore. The Lady Grizzlies kept clawing back, taking the lead near the midway point of the half at 42-41.
The teams would then trade leads before Mitchell went the length of the floor for a transition hoop that moved WNMU ahead, 49-48, with eight minutes to play. Big baskets off the bench from Taylor McCauley (Cliff, NM/Cliff High School)and My’Kale French (Racine, WI/Case High School) helped spark the Lady Mustangs during a critical few minutes stretch in the second half.
French and Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani High School) hit back-to-back shots to move the lead back to six with three minutes to play. After a Lady Grizzlies basket had it back to five, Newsome helped seal the win with a top-of-the-key three with a minute to play.
With the win, it remains tight in the RMAC standings from the three seed down to the eighth slot with seven teams within a game-and-a-half of each other. WNMU remains tied for eighth with MSU Denver, but just a half-game back of Fort Lewis for seventh, a game back of Regis, Black Hills State and Colorado Christian for fourth and a game-and-a-half back of CSU-Pueblo for third.
Mitchell ended up going for a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Moore added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Botelho had 10 and Newsome with nine. Jaycox led ASU with 19 points.
ASU made 17-of-57 (29.8) and actually shot better from three-point range making 9-of-28 (32.1). WNMU shot right around 44 percent (25-57), including a 5-of-15 effort from three. ASU held a 13-10 edge on free throws. WNMU dominated on points in the paint (36-12), second-chance (14-9), fastbreak (14-5) and bench (18-9).
WNMU will remain at home this coming Friday as they will host Western State Colorado University beginning at 5:30 p.m.
