Box Score LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Senior
China Smith recorded her second double-double of the season (21 points and 13 rebounds) for the Cowgirls, but it was not enough as New Mexico Highlands University (3-1, 0-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) lost to Colorado Christian (3-2, 1-0 RMAC) 95-65 in its conference opener Friday night (Dec. 6).
Highlands only trailed 39-37 at half.
"In the second half, we went away from the game plan," head coach
Tiffany Darling explained. "We turned the ball over too much and never got in an offensive rhythm."
Smith put together a strong first half as the Cowgirls trailed the Cougars only 39-37. In 15 minutes of action, Smith recorded 13 points and grabbed seven boards on 4-5 shooting from the field and a 5-6 mark from the free-throw line. Sophomore
Michelle Traynham chipped in 12 points while junior
Jenny Johnson added 11 points.
For the game, Colorado Christian was able to outshoot Highlands 50 percent (26-52) to 30.4 percent (21-69). However, the Cowgirls were able to take a 43-42 edge in boards as Smith was the only player in the game to record double-digit rebounds.
The home team took an early 4-1 lead before an 11-3 spurt put Highlands up by five, its largest lead of the game. Traynham hit a jumper and Johnson, who went 5-6 from the line in the first stanza, hit a pair from the charity stripe to give the Cowgirls its first lead of the night.
In the ensuing possession, freshman
Giulia Simioni picked Colorado Christian's Jennifer Lapp's pocket. She found Smith racing down the court as the Cowgirls turned a three-point deficit into a three-point lead with 16:59 left until break. Colorado Christian hit 3-4 from the line to tie the game, but Traynham's lone triple of the game and a lay-up by junior
Trish Simpson gave the visitors its largest lead of the game.
Highlands continued it series of runs in the first half, going on a 10-2 spurt to retake the lead. Down 29-23, Smith made a pair from the charity stripe while Johnson hit a triple to quickly cut the deficit to one. Imari Lyons pushed the margin back to three with a jumper, but sophomore
Leisha Crawford answered with a lay-up.
Johnson ended the run with another triple as Highlands took a 33-31 lead with 3:42 left in the first half. Colorado Christian's Jessica Murdoch hit a pair from the line with one second left to give the home team a 39-37 advantage at the break.
Colorado Christian shot 63 percent (17-27) in the second half en route to the 30-point win. Kayla Fakelman led a quintet of double-digit scorers for the Cougars with a game-high 27 points. Taylor Torres added 17 while Jessica Murdoch chipped in 14.
For the game, Colorado Christian made 40-48 (83.3 percent) compared to 20-31 (64.5 percent) for the Cowgirls.
"Defensively is where I am the most disappointed. It's hard to when a team outscores you by 20 points from the free throw line," Darling added.
New Mexico Highlands returns to action Saturday (Dec. 7) when it travels to Colorado School of the Mines (2-3, 1-0 RMAC). Tip-time is set for 5 p.m.
