LAS VEGAS, N.M.  Western Colorado got off to a fast start Saturday afternoon, pushing out to a 10-2 advantage in the opening three minutes, but host New Mexico Highlands would rally and take the lead for good later in the first quarter in an 85-74 Rocky Mountain Athletics Conference victory over the Mountaineers at the Wilson Complex.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: N.M. Highlands def. Western, 85-74
Records: Western 6-6 overall (4-2 RMAC), NMHU 6-7 (2-4)
Location: John A. Wilson Complex, Las Vegas, N.M.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Alyssa Eckroth's 3-pointer lifted Western in front, 3-2, and started a 10-0 run in the early moments of the opening quarter.
• A Jayda Maves defensive rebound transitioned into a Chloe Daniels layup after Eckroth's triple, and then a Maves steal became an Eckroth layup for a 7-2 lead.
• Maves again came away with a defensive rebound on the Cowgirls' ensuing possession, and that turnaround became a layup and one by Eckroth for the 10-2 lead at the 7:09 mark.
• Highlands answered with a dominant run, however, outscoring Western 19-2 over the next 4:33 before finishing the quarter with a 25-19 lead.
• Western would eventually cut the deficit to just a point in the second quarter, with Ivey Schmidt knocking down a 3-pointer at the 7:15 mark to pull within 30-29, but the Cowgirls ran off an 8-0 spurt to stave off that threat.
• Again, though, later in the quarter Western got within a bucket, 41-39, and would head into the halftime break trailing only by five, 44-39.
• Western hung close through the entirety of the third quarter, getting it to a one-possession game on five occasions, but a 3-pointer by Highlands to end the quarter was a dagger for the Mountaineers.
• Another Cowgirls trey that opened the fourth gave Highlands its first double-digit lead of the game, 67-56, and over the remainder of the period the Mountaineers would trail mostly right around that 10-point margin up until the final horn sounded.

HARDWOOD NOTES

• Ivey Schmidt's 23 points led Western, with both Eckroth (16) and Maves (13) also reaching double figures. Highlands put four players into double figures, including Kapiolani Anitielu's game high 29 points.
• The scoreboard gap had a lot to do with the discrepancy between the two teams in total shots and field goal percentage. Highlands would finish the game with 63 shots, to Western's 49, and would end the contest shooting 56 percent from the floor, compared to Western's 49% afternoon.
• Usually the game leader in the rebounding department, Western allowed Highlands to win the battle off the glass, narrowly, 26-25.
• Turnovers were a contributing factor in the loss, too, as Western turned it over 15 times with Highlands accumulating 27 points off those miscues.

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers return to Paul Wright Gym for the next contest, an RMAC outing on Tuesday, January 13 against 10th-ranked Colorado Mesa University.