SALT LAKE CITY, Utah. Western Colorado just couldn't get anything going in the first half, which led to them falling 54-41 on the road to second place Westminster College.
 
JUST THE FACTS
Final Score: Westminster def. Western Colorado.
Records: Western Colorado 8-8, Westminster 9-5.
Location: Behnken Field House; Salt Lake City, Utah.  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• It was a slow start to the game for the Mountaineers, as they were only able to muster up six-points in the quarter. Fortunately, the Griffins couldn't get things going either in the first, only scoring 10-points of their own.
• That changed for Westminster in the second quarter scoring 18-points, while Western leaned on Emmery Wagstaff who got going in the quarter, scoring six-points and got contribution from Katie Dalton who pitched in with two-points of her own.
• At halftime. The Mountaineers trailed 28-14, Wagstaff was the leading scorer with six-points.
• Western did better coming out of halftime thanks to Dalton who led the charge scoring seven-points in the quarter. However, the Griffins matched the Mountaineers scoring total in the third quarter – 14-points- and did one-point better, leading to Western trailing 43-28 heading into the fourth quarter.
• The Mountaineers continued fight despite being down by 15-points, resulting in them outscoring Westminster 13 to 11 in the fourth quarter.
• Wagstaff helped trim the lead to 12-points (51-39) with 1:45 left in the game, knocking down a three-pointer and went on to score the final two points for Western – making both free throws with 45-seconds left to play.

COURT NOTE

• Wagstaff was the leading scorer for the Mountaineers recording 14-points in the game. Dalton was right behind her in points making 11-points of her own.
• Defensively, Natalie Jojola and Grace Kirscher led the way each recording two steals.
• Western shot 27.1 percent from the field (16-59), 18.2 percent from three (2-11) and 70 percent from the free throw line (7-10).
• Sarah McGinley, Ashley Greenwood and Abby Mangum were the leading scorers for the Griffins, recording 15, 12 and 10-points in the game.
• The trio were also a factor on the defensive end, each stealing the ball twice.

UP NEXT
Western will be back on the road tomorrow (Jan. 29), traveling to Grand Junction to take on Colorado Mesa University at 5:30 p.m.