by SILVER CITY, N.M. – Northern New Mexico College not only stayed in the game, but they nearly won it. Northern had a clean look at a three pointer and forced a Western into a turnover with 3 seconds, but were unable to get a clean final shot and fell to the Mustangs 68-66.
The game seemed to have all the makings for a close contest early on, as each time WNMU (3-1) tried to pull away, NNMC (4-4) was ready with an answer.
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Eagles were down just one when Western was able to capitalize on timely offensive rebounding and hit back to back threes which pushed the lead to 57-50. NNMC fought back to take the lead with two threes of their own and a jumper by Ashley John, making the score 58-57 Northern.
A couple of free-throws and a jumper by Western pushed the lead back in the Mustangs favor 64-61, but NNMC refused to go away, as sharp-shooter Demetria Clichee sunk her seventh trey of the night to knot the game at 64. Clichee was hitting from everywhere beyond the arc, guarded or un-guarded, as she led the Eagles with 25 points.
With just a little over two minutes to play, the teams traded possessions with WNMU turning it over and NNMC missing on two cracks to take the lead.
After a basket by WNMU, Jocelynn Lackey answered with two from the charity stripe to tie the game for the 12th time at 66 with 1:08 to play.
The Eagles ran the clock for a while without getting a shot, then took a timeout. Out of the break, they went to Cheyenne Cordova, but her contested three from the wing was too strong and the Mustangs grabbed the rebound. With still 14 seconds to play, the Eagles committed a pair of fouls and were still two fouls from putting WNMU at the line in the bonus. With three seconds to play, WNMU turned the ball over on the in-bounds with Lackey collecting the steal. NNMC called timeout with 2.6 seconds to play and had to go the length of the floor as the referees would not allow the Eagles to advance the ball to half court. On the in-bounds it went to Cordova and she got as close as she could to mid-court and let it fly with it landing just short of a possible game-winning three-pointer sending WNMU to the two-point victory.
In addition to Clichee’s big game for the Eagles, Cordova and John added 13 points apiece. John had a double-double with 11 rebounds, while Raeanne Herrera also pulled in 11 rebounds.
Both teams combining for 15 blocks, the Eagles sent back nine, Raeanne Herrera led both teams with 5. The Eagles ended up holding the overall edge on the glass with 49. NNMC shot 22-57 (39) from the field, 12-23 (52) from three and 10-13 (77) at the foul line.
Next up for the Eagles is a well-deserved Thanksgiving break and then back on the road for four games in California.
