GUNNISON, Colo. – It came down to the wire in Friday night's women's basketball game between Western State Colorado University and Colorado Christian University. The Mountaineers had a last second shot, but the ball rattled off the rim and the Cougars took a 58-57 win.
 
Western's Tammarrah Gothard hit a jumper with 1:42 left to play to make the score 57-58 in favor of CCU (5-9, 3-6 RMAC). The Mountaineers stopped the Cougars twice and put up four more shots in the final 1:42, but were unable to get another basket to take the lead.
 
Western (6-10, 3-7 RMAC) fell behind early to begin the game and were down seven points, 11-4, with 4:50 left to play in the first quarter. The Mountaineers changed course and went on a 13-2 run to end the quarter, taking a 17-13 lead into the second quarter.
 
CCU and Western exchanged leads in the second, but the Mountaineers took a three-point lead into halftime, 33-30.
 
In the third, once again there was a jockeying for the lead, but neither team would end the quarter on top. Heading into the fourth quarter, both teams were at the 45 point mark.
 
Alicia Jimenez led the Mountaineers in scoring with a season-high 16 points. Chandler Sturms also recorded a season high in points, adding 11 for Western.
 
The Mountaineer defense forced 22 CCU turnovers. Western converted those turnovers into 19 points on the offensive end.
 
Western will continue the season Saturday night. The Mountaineers host Colorado School of Mines at 5 p.m. in Paul Wright Gym.