by GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Tanisha Begay (Navajo) went 6-12 from the field, including a 5-10 effort from three-point range to collect a career-high 19 points as the Fort Lewis College women’s basketball team fought hard at #22 Colorado Mesa before the Mavericks were able to pull away in the third quarter for the 78-53 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Friday night at Brownson Arena.
While Begay was having a career night, Alyssa Yocky went for another double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds, while Aubre Fortneralso reached double-figures with 10 points, hitting a pair of three-pointers.
After Colorado Mesa (21-3, 18-2 RMAC) opened the scoring with a three 42 seconds in, Begay started her strong night answering back with a three-pointer at the 8:49 mark to even the game. Following a 9-2 run by the Mavericks, Yocky ended the run with a layup off her own offensive rebound leaving Colorado Mesa with the 12-5 lead.
With the deficit in double-digits, the Skyhawks (11-15, 7-13 RMAC) continued to make a push near the end of the quarter with a free throw by Sydney Candelaria and a three-pointer by Begay left it a seven-point game before Colorado Mesa ended the first with a free throw for the 22-14 lead.
The Mavericks opened the second quarter with a basket to jump the lead to 10 when FLC went on a 6-0 run started by a free throw from Yocky. Kaitlyn Romero hit a three-pointer and then a jumper by Begay on the fastbreak closed the run leaving the Skyhawks down just four at 24-20 at the 6:13 mark.
Similar to the start of the quarter, the Mavericks went back in front by 10 when another 6-0 run had the Skyhawks within four after three-pointers from Begay and Fortner cut the lead to 30-26 with 3:54 to go before halftime.
Colorado Mesa added three points to their lead before the break to take a 35-28 lead into the locker rooms.
The third quarter was big for the Mavericks with a Romero free throw and a layup by Candelaria off the fastbreak helped keep FLC within 10, but Colorado Mesa held the 25-10 advantage in the third frame to open up a 60-38 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Yocky, Begay and Fortner all contributed points in the fourth, with Begay scoring eight straight points in the middle of the quarter for the Skyhawks before Colorado Mesa took the 78-53 victory.
FLC went 16-53 (30) from the field, 8-21 (38) from three and 13-20 (65) from the foul line.
Four players scored in double-figures to lead Colorado Mesa as Natalie Bartle went for a game-high 22 points. Kelsey Siemons added 11 and both Sydni Brandon and Jaylyn Duran scored 10 points apiece. Sydni Brandon just missed a triple-double with nine rebounds and eight assists. The Mavericks went 30-61 (49) from the field, 11-26 (42) from three and 7-9 (78) at the foul line.
