Box Score

BAYAMON, P.R.  – The No. 2/3 West Texas A&M women's basketball team survived a stiff test from Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Tuesday as the team improved to 9-0 on the year with a 63-49 victory.  The Lady Buffs had four players in double figures. 
 
"We can definitely walk away with some positive learning experiences from this game," WT head women's basketball coach Kristen Mattio said.  "It took us a half to adjust to the physicality of play from the FIBA rules and officiating.  Once we settled in and started attacking and executing more on the offensive end, we were fine.  Our ability to maintain focus through the different game dynamics was a key.  We will need to do a better job of taking care of the ball tomorrow as that was a concern."
 
Seniors Michaela Neuhaus and Madison McLain led the way with 14 points each while junior Maddison Wild recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds and senior Sasha Watson added 10 points.  WT shot 22 of 50 from the field for 44 percent.  The Lady Buffs were 6 of 15 from beyond the arc and 13 of 20 from the line.  WT pulled down 51 rebounds, including a 17-5 lead in offensive rebounds, but committed 28 turnovers leading to a 22-11 lead for UPRM on points off turnovers. 
 
UPR-Mayaguez (1-5) was led by a game-high 25 points from Hillary Martinez as the lone Jane in double figures.  She was 9 of 15 from the field and 7 of 8 from the line playing all 40 minutes.  The Janes shot 31.6 percent on 18 of 57.  They were 2 of 18 from beyond the arc and 11 of 14 from the line. 
 
The Lady Buffs jumped out to a wick 5-0 lead capped with a triple from Neuhaus, but the Janes used a 9-3 run to go ahead on a hoop-and-harm foul on Martinez.  A jumper in the lane gave the Janes an 11-8 lead with 4:36 left in the first quarter.  From there, buckets from Martinez and Martha Rodriguez pushed the lead to 16-8 with 1:47 left.  The Lady Buffs closed the quarter on a 6-0 run capped with two charity tosses from junior Lilley Vander Zee for a 16-14 deficit.
 
UPRM pushed the lead to four times through the first half of the second quarter, but the Lady Buffs battled back and took the lead on a triple from Neuhaus with 5:05 left in the half for a 22-21 lead.  The game was tied at 29 at half as the game was tied four times in the half.
 
WT came out of the gates in the second half on a 9-2 run for a 38-31 lead with five minutes left capped on a pair of free throws from Wid.  Martinez scored in the lane cutting the deficit to four at 38-34, but the Lady Buffs closed the quarter on a 12-4 run for a 50-38 lead capped with a triple from McLain with six seconds left.
 
The Lady Buffs swelled the lead to 14, which was the game-high in the fourth quarter as it never went under double digits. 
 
WT will play University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras at 5 p.m. (CT) tomorrow to close the games for the Lady Buffs.  Live stats will be available at www.gobuffsgo.com.