by Box Score
GUNNISON, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University women’s basketball team jumped out to a six-point lead, only to have Western State Colorado University fight back to take a halftime lead on their way to a 75-64 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory over the Lady Mustangs Saturday night.
The Lady Mountaineers (3-5, 2-2 RMAC) took advantage of 50 percent (26-52) shooting, while holding the Lady Mustangs (4-3, 2-2 RMAC) to a 27.4 percentage (17-62).
Ashley Mitchell (Navajo Nation/Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School) started the night right for WNMU hitting on a three-pointer on their first possession. Mitchell would add a pair from the line before Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) hit a triple nearly two minutes in for an 8-2 lead.
WSCU answered with a 13-3 run to take a 15-11 lead at the 13:30 mark.
Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani High School) and Jordan Gutierrez (Albuquerque, NM/Valley High School) helped bring WNMU back in front as Botehlo hit a jumper and then Gutierrez’s three had the Lady Mustangs with a 21-20 lead near the midway point of the half.
The Lady Mountaineers hit a jumper on their next possession and would hold the lead the rest of the half, getting ahead by as many as nine when Stephanie Douthit (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Mountain ) closed the half with a three leaving it a 40-34 WSCU lead at the break.
WNMU held an advantage on points off turnovers (11-9) and bench points (16-13).
Trailing by as many as 12 early in the second half, WNMU found themselves down by just four with 7:35 to play after Mitchell hit two from the charity stripe.
That would end up being as close as the Lady Mustangs could get the rest of the way, as Tessa Jones (Truth or Consequences, NM/Hot Springs High School) tallied a layup with 4:07 to play to again make it a four-point spread.
WSCU would outscore WNMU by seven over the remainder of the game to take the 11-point win.
Mitchell led three Lady Mustangs in double-figures with 14 points. Douthit added 13 and Botelho chipped in 12. Botelho nearly had a double-double with nine rebounds. She also led the team in steals with two. RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) dished out a team-high seven assists.
WNMU held the advantage in points off turnovers (15-14), second-chance (11-7) and bench (25-21).
The Lady Mustangs will return home this coming weekend when they will face CSU-Pueblo at 5:30 p.m. Friday night.
