Box Score The NMHU Women's basketball defeated their fierce rivals, the Grizzlies of Adams State College, by the final score of 78-55. The Cowgirls benefited from a great all-around team effort that saw four players score in double digits. In the first five minutes of the game, the Cowgirls jumped out to a 9-2 lead, but the Grizzlies fought back to tie the game up at 11 points apiece with 12:11 remaining in the first half. Both teams went back and forth for the next few minutes before the Cowgirls took control of the game and never looked back. The Cowgirls would lead by as much as 16 points in the first half, but the Grizzlies mounted a run in the final minutes of the half to cut the lead to 10 points going into the locker room. Adams State scored first out of the halftime break, but the Cowgirls quickly gained the momentum and began to put their rivals away. The Cowgirls led by as much as 25 points in the second half and when the final buzzer sounded they had captured the 23 point victory by the final score of 78-55. With the win the Cowgirls, led by Head Coach Tiffany Darling, improve to a 4-6 record in the RMAC and 8-6 in overall play.
China Smith was the leading scorer in the game for the Cowgirls, with 19 points. Smith shot 7-10 from the field and sank five of her six free-throw attempts. She would add three rebounds and a steal in her 21 minutes on the court.
Consistent performer
Alyssa Lopez scored 16 points for the Cowgirls in the game. Lopez scored eight points in each half of play and shot a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe. She added three steals and a rebound in her 34 minutes of playing time.
Eboni Jacobs had a good night for the Cowgirls with 12 points off the bench. Jacobs shot 5-6 from the free-throw line and added four steals, three assists and two rebounds in her 18 minutes on the court.
Whitley Coca rounded out the Cowgirls' top scorers on the night with 10 points. Coca had an outstanding night from the point guard position and almost completed the double-double by dishing out nine assists. Her all-around performance included five steals and four rebounds in 35 minutes of playing time.
Both teams struggled to make shots in the first three minutes of the game, but the Cowgirls kept at it and quickly built up a 9-2 lead with 15:01 remaining in the first half. The Grizzlies fought back and with 12:11 on the clock the game was tied up at 11 points apiece. The teams went back and forth until the Cowgirls began to put some distance on their rivals. With 2:14 remaining in the first half,
Eboni Jacobs sank two free-throw shots to give the Cowgirls their biggest lead of the half at 16 points. Adams State mounted another come back and when the buzzer sounded to end the first half of play they had cut the lead to 10 points, 40-30.
The Grizzlies made the first shot of the second half to cut the Cowgirls' lead down to eight points, but that was the closest they would get. The Cowgirls quickly gained control of the game and
Whitley Coca hit a jump shot, with 15:27 left in the game, to double the lead to 16 points. Halfway through the second half of play,
Ashley Godfrey hit a lay-up on the fast break to give the Cowgirls a 20 point lead. With 8:10 left in the game, it was
Eboni Jacobs hitting two more free-throw shots that gave the Cowgirls their biggest lead of the game, 65-40. The Grizzlies tried to mount a comeback but it was not to be and the Cowgirls maintained their lead at 25 points when
Alyssa Lopez hit a lay-up at with 4:44 left in the game. Adams State managed to cut the lead back down to 19 points, but the Cowgirls surged back and with 26 seconds left on the clock
Katie Gannon hit a long range three-pointer to bring the lead back up to 23 points. When the final buzzer had sounded the Cowgirls had triumphed against their fierce rivals by the final score of 78-55.
The Cowgirls played strong on defense and won the turnover battle by forcing 27 turnovers to their 10. Both teams shot 45% from the field but the Cowgirls made 18 of their 23 free-throw attempts for a 78% free-throw percentage. The Cowgirls' complete team effort was highlighted by the four players that managed to score in double digits in the game.
The Cowgirls will continue conference action again, on 1/13, as they travel to Chadron, Neb., to take on the Eagles of Chadron State College. The Eagles are currently in 12th place in the RMAC, with a 2-7 conference record and 2-11 in overall play. The game at the Armstrong Gymansium is scheduled for a 6 pm tip-off time, with the Cowboys taking to the court shortly after the completion of the women's game. If you can't make it up to Chadron, Neb. to watch your Cowgirls in action, you can click
HERE to watch the game LIVE on the America One network.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
