Box ScoreSeason StatsGOLDEN, Colo. – Down 43-40 after three quarters, the No. 9 West Texas A&M women's basketball team used a 16-5 fourth quarter for a thrilling 56-48 victory over No. 19 Colorado Mesa in the final game of the Tony Corbetta Oredigger Classic. With the win, WT improved to 2-0 on the year, while Colorado Mesa fell to 1-1.
"Colorado Mesa was a good test for us," WT head coach
Kristen Mattio said. "They are a very well coached team and we knew we were going to have to compete every possession. Our defense carried us through during the times we were not scoring the ball. We showed an enormous amount of toughness and togetherness today."
In a very defensive game that saw both teams shoot 38 percent for the contest, WT found the buckets when it needed down the stretch playing mostly from behind as the Mavericks led for 34:34 of the game. WT's largest lead came with four seconds left in the game at 56-48.
Following a strong performance from the field yesterday, the Lady Buffs struggled from the field shooting 20 of 52 from the field for 38.5 percent. They were just 3 of 11 from range and were 13 of 23 from the line for 56.5 percent. WT began the game 3 of 10 from the line, but finished 10 of 13.
WT junior
Sasha Watson led the team with 14 points on 5 of 14 from the field with one triple and went 3 of 10 from the line. She was huge on the defensive end with seven steals and six assists running the offense and coming up with big buckets late in the game. She was the lone Lady Buff in double figures as sophomore
Madison Parker had eight points off the bench.
CMU had two players in double figures led by 14 points from Bryanna Adams as she was 5 of 16 from the field and four triples. Sydney Small had 13 points with six triples and five made field goals. The Mavericks were playing without Rocky Mountain Preseason Player of the Year Erin Reichle who was out with an injury.
The Mavericks shot 38 percent for the game on 19 of 50. They were 8 of 23 from beyond the arc and also struggled from the line going 2 of 7. Both teams pulled down 35 rebounds. WT held a 24-20 lead in points in the paint and forced 17 steals on 21 CMU miscues leading to a 17-14 lead in points off turnovers. The WT bench was huge as it outscored CMU 18-9.
Following a triple early by Watson for a 7-6 WT lead with 4:58 left in the first, the Mavericks closed the quarter with an 11-4 run for a 17-11 lead. The run continued early in the second quarter as it swelled to a 22-13 lead for a 16-6 run as Erika Musante scored on a layup with 5:18 left in the half.
WT sophomore
Hannah Alexander scored a layup, followed by a layup from junior
Alie Decker and one of two free throws from Watson pulling WT within 22-18 with 4:22 left. Watson then had a jumper with 48 seconds left pulling the Lady Buffs within 26-24 with 48 seconds left. CMU added a free throw from Musante for a 27-24 lead at intermission.
Junior
Lilley Vander Zee scored two free throws for a 27-26 deficit out of the half, but CMU responded with a 9-0 run for a 36-26 lead capped with a layup from Small with 5:43 left in the quarter. Senior
Zantaya Davis ended the run with a bucket in the late, but CMU swelled the lead to 10 once again.
Senior
Madison McLain buried back-to-back triples to spark the Lady Buffs as the deficit was cut to four at 38-34 with 3:42 left in the third. Parker added two free throws for the Lady Buffs pulling them within 38-36 with 2:28 left as WT went on an 8-2 run. Small added a bucket, but WT tied the game on two free throws from Parker with eight seconds left. Adams hit a triple at the buzzer for a 43-40 lead through three quarters.
Parker hit a layup with 7:25 left for the Lady Buffs' first lead since 7-6 in the first. Small answered with a bucket, but, after a long drought, junior
Maddison Wild scored in the paint for a 46-45 WT lead with 3:55 left.
Adams scored again for a 47-46 lead with 3:33 remaining, but Wild added another big field goal for a 48-47 lead with 3:01 left. Watson buried two free throws and Wild scored once again for a 52-47 with 35 seconds left. Neuhaus hit two free throws in the closing seconds as did Decker for the 56-48 score.
The Lady Buffs have a quick turnaround as they will travel to St. Edward's on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. tip, before returning home to host New Mexico Highlands in the 2015-16 home-opener Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. in the First United Bank Center.
