DENVER Western Colorado fought back from a nine-point fourth quarter deficit but fell a missed 3-pointer short of completing the comeback in a 57-54 non-conference loss Sunday to Angelo State (Texas) University at MSU Denver's Auraria Activity Center.
JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Angelo State def. Western Colorado, 57-54
Records: Western 0-2, Angelo St. 2-0
Location: Auraria Activity Center, Denver, Colo.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Mountaineers trailed 49-40 with 6:08 left in the game. A Natalie Jojola trey from the right wing began the rally, though.
- A couple of ensuing turnovers and missed shots finally saw the ball back in Western's hands, specifically in Rachel Cockman's hands with an offensive rebound and putback that further trimmed the deficit.
- An Ivey Schmidt steal on ASU's next possession turned into a Cockman 3-pointer that pulled Western to within a point, 49-48.
- After a Rambelles jumper (51-48) and missed shots by both teams, ASU drew a foul that put it at the free throw line. The first shot was good but the second missed, only to have an ASU player come away with the rebound.
- That offensive rebound loomed large as ASU popped in a 3-pointer that left Western down six, 54-48, with only 1:45 left to play.
- Not dead yet, Schmidt fed Jojola at the right wing again where she drained another 3-pointer while also being fouled. Hitting her free throw the four-point play brought the Mountaineer right back into the game, now with 58 seconds showing on the scoreboard clock.
- ASU turnovers sandwiched around a Western miss finally got the Mountaineers the ball back. Schmidt fought for the rebound under the basket after a missed 3-pointer and put up a layup that cut the deficit to just a point with 11 seconds left.
- Western then committed the necessary foul but ASU's Addy Burns hit both free throws to make it a three-point game. The Mountaineers had one last look just before the horn, but the 3-point attempt was partially blocked and they were unable to get off a shot on the inbounds play with only 1.1 seconds left.
- Tied (12-12) after one quarter, ASU entered the halftime break up five, 26-21, before stretching that advantage to 40-32 after three quarters.
COURT NOTES
- Cockman led all rebounders in the game with 13, completing the double-double with 12 points. Brooklyn Seymour also reached double figures in scoring with 14 points, and nearly earned a double-double with 9 rebounds.
- Jojola was 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and finished with 11 points.
- Western earned the edge in rebounding, 38-33, but ASU won the battle in the paint, outscoring the Mountaineers 28-16.
- Through three quarters Western was just 1 of 14 on 3-pointers, but in the fourth quarter they found the range, hitting 5 of 11.
UP NEXT
Western travels to Fairbanks, Alaska, for its next games, taking on host Alaska-Fairbanks at the Patty Center on Friday, Nov. 15, followed by a neutral-site game the next day against Western Oregon.
