GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado was Texas A&M Kingsville's equal in the second half, but the visiting Javelinas had opened a 12-point lead heading into the halftime break that the Mountaineers weren't able to chip into in a 74-60 women's basketball non-conference loss Friday at Paul Wright Gym.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Texas A&M Kingsville def. Western, 74-60
Records: Western 0-3, Kingsville 1-3
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Kingsville jumped out to a 10-3 advantage right off the bat, and though Western would twice climb to within three it would finish the opening frame trailing by that same seven-point margin, 22-15.
• The Mountaineers weren't experiencing a cold night shooting as they closed the period hitting 50 percent of their shots, including 5-of-8 from behind the arc. It was just that Kingsville was shooting 54% and was 5-for-6 from the free throw line while Western didn't make a trip to the stripe.
• Natalie Jojola hit a jumper for Western to start the second quarter but Kingsville scored the next seven points to take the wind from the sails that Jojola's bucket had initiated.
• The Javelinas went into the break up 39-27 then had to hold off Western's challenges over the final 20 minutes of action.
• The Mountaineers closed to within seven in the third quarter, at 39-32, only to have Kingsville extend the margin to as many as 20 in the fourth quarter before Western chipped the final deficit to 14. Kingsville's 12-point halftime lead had expanded by just one point in each of the final two quarters.

COURT NOTES

• Eva Kingston was the flame in the first quarter that kept Kingsville from getting away too far. She hit three of four 3-pointers to finish the opening 10 minutes as the game's leading scorer.
• Rachel Cockman came alive in the second half for Western, dropping in 17 of her game-high 20 points in the final 20 minutes.
• Jayda Maves and Jojola both also hit double figures for the Mountaineers, Maves finishing with 14 points and Jojola with 10.
• Rebounds were a significant factor in the outcome as the Javelinas closed out the contest with a 35-26 edge on the boards.
• Kingsville had the better of the two teams in close, registering a 36-12 advantage in the paint.
• Western would finish the night shooting 41%, with Kingsville ending the night at 49%.

UP NEXT
Western will welcome Eastern New Mexico University to Paul Wright on Saturday for a 6 p.m. non-conference contest.