by | Brian Kortz, WNMU Athletics
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Although the season came to an end Tuesday, the Western New Mexico University women’s basketball team set many records that hadn’t been reached for years and they tried to reach another one against Colorado Mesa University. The Lady Mavericks, though, were able to limit the Lady Mustangs to 41 points in claiming a 57-41 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament Quarterfinal Round win.
RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) opened the game in style after a CMU (23-4) turnover she pulled up for three and drilled the triple 41 seconds in to give WNMU (14-13) the early 3-0 lead. It would then be a defensive struggle for the next several minutes with no team scoring until three minutes later when the Lady Mavericks got on the board with a layup by Erin Reichle.
A minute later, CMU took their first lead and as it would turn out the lead for the rest of the game at 5-3 at the 15:12 mark. Shooting was a struggle for both teams, along with turnovers through the first 20 minutes. The teams combined for 19 turnovers (11 for CMU), while WNMU shot 21.4 percent (6-28) to a 36.8 percent clip (7-19) for the Lady Mavericks.
After CMU went on a 7-0 run, Ashley Mitchell (Navajo Nation) stopped the spurt with a pair from the line at the 12:50 mark to pull WNMU back to within two, 7-5. Mitchell would add two more from the line two minutes later to make it a 10-7 CMU lead when the Lady Mavericks went on an 11-4 run to open a 21-11 advantage.
WNMU would respond before the break with Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) tallying a layup and then a three by Jordan Gutierrez (Albuquerque, NM/Valley High School) made it a 21-16 CMU lead with two minutes to go in the opening half. The advantage would remain at five at halftime with CMU leading, 23-18.
The Lady Mavericks came out of the locker rooms ready to go as they jump started the second stanza on a 15-2 run over the first five minutes to take their largest lead of the game of 18, 38-20.
The Lady Mustangs would continue to chip away, however, getting as close as eight with 7:43 to play on a jumper by Hernandez. A few minutes later, Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) dialed long distance to again pull WNMU to within eight at 46-38, but that would be as close as WNMU would get the rest of the way.
Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) led the way for WNMU with 10 points. Newsome added eight, while Hernandez posted six points, nine rebounds, three blocks and four steals. Shanna Halalilo led CMU with 17 points as three Lady Mavericks reached double-figures.
WNMU was held to a 13-for-57 (22.8) shooting night, going 5-for-16 (31.3) from three. The Lady Mustangs did well at the charity stripe going a perfect 10-for-10. CMU went 18-for-41 (43.9), including a 5-for-14 (35.7) effort from three and a 16-for-20 (80) night from the free throw line.
WNMU ends the season with 14 wins, the most since the mid-90’s and it was the final game as Lady Mustangs forRaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School), Ashley Witherspoon (San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills High School), Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School), Nalani Hernandez (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School), Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School), Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) andStephanie Douthit (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Mountain ).
