LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- The New Mexico Highlands women's basketball team was right there with Fort Lewis through the first 15 minutes of the game, but a big run by the Skyhawks to end the second quarter put the game out of reach as the Cowgirls fell 88-51 Friday night at Wilson Complex.
NMHU (2-7 overall, 0-2 RMAC) trailed just 24-22 with 5:03 left in the second quarter after
Brianna Stewart scored. But Fort Lewis (4-3, 1-1) went on a 14-1 run to end the quarter – capped by a Tanisha Begay 3-pointer with eight seconds left – to take a 38-23 lead into the half.
Jordyn Lewis hit a jumper to start the third quarter to cut the lead to 13, but that's as close as the Cowgirls got the rest of the way as they dropped their fifth straight game.
Stewart led the Cowgirls with 19 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Lewis added 11 points, three rebounds and two steals. NMHU shot 33.3 percent from the field (17-for-51) and struggled from beyond the arc – going 2-for-17. The Cowgirls were also outrebounded 59-27.
Fort Lewis shot 39.7 percent from the field, but took advantage of 28 offensive rebounds to score 22 second-chance points to help make up going 5-for-23 from 3-point range. Alyssa Yocky had a team-best 17 points (thanks to going 8-for-8 from the free throw line) to go along with seven rebounds.
NMHU returns to action 5 p.m. Saturday as the Cowgirls host Adams State at Wilson Complex.
