by SILVER CITY, N.M. – Strong starts to each half helped power the Western New Mexico University women’s basketball team past Black Hills State University, 56-44, Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
In the opening half, WNMU (7-7, 5-6 RMAC) took advantage of 10 BHSU (9-5, 7-3 RMAC) turnovers to hold a 12-2 points off turnover edge. After the Lady Yellow Jackets opened with a 5-2 lead a few minutes in, Stephanie Moore (Anton, TX/Anton High School) helped ignite a 9-0 run to push the Lady Mustangs to a six-point lead at 11-5 six minutes in. Ashley Mitchell (Navajo Nation) added a three and after Moore connected on another layup, Mitchell added a jumper to cap the run.
Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani High School), who came off the bench to lead all-scorers with 10 points in the opening 20 minutes, gave the Lady Mustangs their largest lead of the half with a jumper at the 7:13 mark for the 24-15 lead.
The Lady Yellow Jackets controlled the remainder of the half trimming eight points off the deficit leaving WNMU ahead by just one, 29-28, at halftime.
The Lady Mustangs came out firing in the second half as well, using a 9-0 run to open a 38-28 lead four minutes in. During the run Moore tallied a layup, Mitchell a three-point-play, and then jumpers by Newsome and Nalani Hernandez(Tucson, AZ/Tucson High School).
BHSU would counter with a 5-0 run, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the way. The Lady Mustangs answered with their own 5-0 spurt with Moore starting the run with a layup before Mitchell tallied a three at the 13:07 mark.
Mitchell, who led all-scorers with 15 points, extended the WNMU lead to 12 with a pair at the line near the midway point of the second half. The Lady Yellow Jackets would get no closer than eight the rest of the way.
Both teams shot in the 30 percent range with WNMU connecting on 21-of-56 (37.5), while BHSU made 17-of-53 (32.1). The Lady Mustangs continued their strong defense on three-pointers limiting BHSU to just 3-of-23 (13). The Lady Mustangs also held a 12-7 edge at the free throw line.
Outside of Mitchell’s game-high 15, Botelho added 14 points and Newsome tallied 10. Hernandez collected 10 rebounds and Newsome led in assists with six. WNMU posted 10 steals with Hernandez coming away with three.
WNMU was also plus-11 on turnovers which translated into a 23-7 advantage on points off of turnovers.
WNMU will host Chadron State Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. The Lady Eagles came back to defeat New Mexico Highlands in overtime, 85-80, earlier tonight.
