SILVER CITY, N.M. – Another solid defensive effort and free throws helped power the Western New Mexico University women’s basketball team to a 58-44 win over Western State Colorado University in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Friday night. The win ties for the most victories since the 1997-98 season when WNMU collected 13 wins that season as well.
It was a defensive struggle throughout the first half with both teams shooting around 30 percent. The WNMU (13-9, 9-8 RMAC) defense forced 11 turnovers and turned that into 10 points, while only committing four themselves.
The Lady Mustangs were ahead five, 7-2, early with Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) hitting a layup and then a three-pointer by Ashley Mitchell (Fort Defiance, AZ/Window Rock High School). WSCU (4-17, 3-14 RMAC) would come back to take their first lead at 12-11 at the 12:49 mark. The lead would get as high as three at 14-11 when WNMU would then limit the Lady Mountaineers to just five points the rest of the half.
RaTanya Newsome (Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School) put WNMU in front for good after collecting a defensive rebound and then converting two foul shots for a 15-14 lead with 11:10 to play before the break.
It would end up being a 12-0 run for WNMU, as they went from down three to up nine over a nearly eight minute span. Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani High School) closed the scoring run with a jumper for the 23-14 advantage.
WNMU would hold the nine-point lead the rest of the 20 minutes to take a 28-19 lead into the locker room.
The Lady Mustang defense held WSCU to a 28.6 percent (8-28) shooting effort in the first half. Newsome, Botelho and Moore tallied eight, seven and six points respectively in the first half.
It was much of the same in the second half, as after WSCU got to within nine in the early going, the Lady Mustangs pushed the lead back into double-digits and didn’t look back. My’Kale French (Racine, WI/Case High School) came off the bench and scored a season-high 10 points, two of which came on a fastbreak layup at the 13:13 mark that had the advantage at 16, 39-23.
WNMU would keep the advantage in that range the rest of the way for the win.
Moore led WNMU with 14 points and just missed a double-double with eight rebounds. She also came away with a team-high four steals. Newsome added 13, while Botelho and French each recorded 10 points apiece. Sydnie Lengyel led the Lady Mountaineers with 12 points.
WSCU ended up shooting 33.9 percent (19-56), just ahead of WNMU’s 33.3 percent (19-57). The Lady Mustang three-point defense remained strong as WSCU went 0-10 from three-point range. WNMU also benefited from a solid advantage at the foul line making 17 to six for WSCU.
With the win, WNMU remains right in the thick of the RMAC Tournament positioning. With Fort Lewis’ loss to CSU-Pueblo, the Lady Mustangs move into seventh. They remain just a half-game back of Regis for sixth and a game back of Black Hills State and Colorado Christian for fourth.
WNMU will host conference leading Colorado Mesa Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. The Lady Mavericks defeated New Mexico Highlands, 50-40, earlier tonight.
