PUEBLO, Colo. (January 30, 2015) – The Colorado State University- Pueblo women's basketball team downed New Mexico Highlands, 65-60, in a neck-and-neck Rocky Mountain Athletic contest Friday at Massari Arena.
With the win, the ThunderWolves improve to 11-7 overall and remain in a third-place tie in the RMAC standings with a 9-5 mark. Highlands entered the contest hoping to break their seven-game losing streak, but were unsuccessful, falling to 4-14 overall and 3-11 in league play.
Forced turnovers and free-throw shooting were the difference in the game for the ThunderWolves. CSU-Pueblo forced 18 turnovers, which led to a 20-10 advantage in points-off-turnovers. Offensively, the Pack turned the ball over just nine times, their lowest total since the opening game of the season. CSU-Pueblo held a decided edge from the charity stripe, converting on 11-of-23 attempts compared to 0-of-1 for the Cowgirls.
The Cowgirls owned the advantage in assists (18-16), and rebounds (41-35), while the ThunderWolves led in blocks (6-3) and steals (8-2).
Katie Nehf (Sr., Broomfield, Colo.) paced a balanced offensive attack for the Pack, scoring a team-high 15 points, while adding a game-high four blocks. Also scoring in double-figures for CSU-Pueblo were Angie Moore (So., Katy, Texas) and Tuileisu Anderson (Fr., Vancouver, Wash.) with 12 points apiece and Dee Arrieta (Jr., Pueblo West, Colo.) with 10 points.
Ashley Piper (Jr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa) had a team-best eight rebounds, while Shannon Patterson (Fr., Pueblo, Colo.) tallied a contest-leading three steals.
For New Mexico Highlands, Jenny Johnson had a team-high 21 points. Claudia Meneses added 17 points and eight rebounds. Giulia Simioni and Brittany Brown had game-highs in assists (11) and rebounds (9), respectively.
The Pack raced out to an early eight-point lead, at 13-5, with 5:42 elapsed in the opening half.
The Cowgirls responded with a 10-0 scoring run, capped by a Meneses' jump shot, to move ahead 15-13 with 11:25 showing on the game clock.
CSU-Pueblo quickly regained the lead thanks to a pair of 3-pointers by Anderson and an Arrieta jump shot to climb back in front by six, at 21-15, with 9:20 remaining until halftime.
Highlands erased the six-point deficit and built a six-point advantage of their own with 1:09 left before intermission. A 3-pointer by Arrieta and a close-range jump shot by Moore with six ticks left sent the contest to the half with the visitors leading 31-30.
The Cowgirls outscored the Pack, 10-5, in the first 5:22 of the second half to push their lead to 41-35.
CSU-Pueblo battled back into the lead, using an 8-0 spurt to go on top, 43-41, at the 12:22 mark. Nehf scored five points during the run and Anderson added a 3-pointer.
After Highlands held a 45-44 advantage with 9:51 showing on the game clock, Moore put the Pack in front for good with a layup on the next possession.
Despite struggling from the free-throw line down the stretch, the ThunderWolves were able to hold off the Cowgirls and escape with the 65-60 victory.
Next up, the Pack take on Western New Mexico Saturday at Massari Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
