Con Marshall
LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Chadron State scored 10 points above its season average, but New Mexico Highlands had two big-time scorers which led the Cowgirls to a 95-76 win over Chadron State during a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday afternoon.
New Mexico Highlands shot 53 percent from the field and came away with 18 steals en route to the victory. The Cowgirls’ top guns were junior Juliana Aragon with 34 points and freshman Kapiolani Anitielu with 24, who combined to score more than 60 percent of their team’s points. Highlands’ point total was 15 more than its previous high this season.
The Eagles tried their best to keep pace. Juniors Kyra Tanabe with 16 points and Kylie Krise with 15 led the Eagles. Sophomore Camren Morris added 10 and senior Ashayla Powers had eight.
Highlands was particularly hot in the opening quarter, shooting 57 percent (12-21) from the field and made 10 of 12 free throws while taking a 35-22 lead. The margin grew immensely during a three-minute stretch late in the frame when the Cowgirls went on a 19-1 run that increased their lead from 15-13 to 34-14.
Highlands led 54-37 at halftime, but the Eagles cut the difference to just 10 points late in the third period. In the third quarter, the Eagles shot 54.5 percent (6-11) from the field, made both of their 3-point attempts, and nailed 15 of 16 free shots. The surge netted 29 points, CSC’s single-quarter high of the season.
For the game, the Eagles were 24-57 (42.1 percent) from the field, including 7-18 (38.9 percent) on 3-pointers and 21-28 (75 percent) from the charity stripe. Krise was 3-4 on treys and Tanabe made all six of her free throws.
CSC out-rebounded the hosts 34-24, but turned the ball over 27 times compared to Highlands’ 11.
Aragon’s 34 points are the eighth-most all-time in a single game against the Chadron State women. The win was the Cowgirls’ second win of the weekend. They outscored Black Hills State 56-33 in the second half Thursday night and won 77-63 to topple the Yellow Jackets, who were previously unbeaten in the RMAC, for the first time in 17 games. The New Mexico team is now 7-7 for the season and 4-4 in the RMAC.
The Eagles are 2-12 overall and 1-7 in the RMAC. They will be at home to host Westminster on Thursday night and Colorado Mesa on Saturday afternoon.