Box Score LAS VEGAS, N.M. - New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls (10-8, 7-7 RMAC) kept its hopes alive for the postseason tournament thanks to a victory over the CU-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions (12-6, 9-5 RMAC), finishing off a double header weekend at the John A. Wilson Complex on Saturday night (Feb. 1).
With the Cowgirls trailing by eight in the first half, senior
China Smith made a couple of free throws and junior
Trish Simpson hit a jumper to cut the lead in half. After a pair of free throws by CU-Colorado Springs with seconds left in the first period, sophomore
Leisha Crawford hit a fast break triple to bring Highlands within three at the intermission.
Smith came off the bench and finished the game with her ninth double-double of the season with 14 points and 16 boards, hitting both of her shots from the field and all 10 of her free throws. The bench proved to be huge for the Cowgirls, as they outscored the Mountain Lions 35-19.
Out of the break, the Cowgirls scored eight unanswered to take the lead over the Mountain Lions for good. Freshman
Giulia Simioni – who also reached double-digit with 10 points – tied the game on a triple. Senior
Brittany Neeley put the Cowgirls up with a lay-up and freshman
Jacinda Woodruff added a triple to put Highlands up five.
Neeley finished with Smith as co-team leader with 14 points. Woodruff, in her first start of the season, added nine.
The Cowgirls used a 5-0 run in the middle of the second half to push out the advantage. Up 49-48, Smith took her defender one-on-one and pulled up for an elbow jumper to hit her 10th point of the night. After another stop, junior
Anngelina Sanchez nailed a triple to put the Cowgirls ahead six. Highlands finished off the win by going 12-14 from the line over the final 2:11.
UC-Colorado Springs did have an advantage from the field, shooting 25-54 (46.3 percent) compared to 25-61 (41 percent) for Highlands, but the Cowgirls used a 41-34 rebounding edge – including 26-12 on the offensive glass.
Highlands held a 19-12 edge in second-chance points.
Abby Kirchoof led the visitors with 28 while Sam Patterson had 10.
New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls hit the road in hopes of getting their second victory over the Adam's State Grizzlies on Friday (Feb. 7).
