(Mesa, AZ) The Pima Community College women’s basketball team (12-6, 7-4 in ACCAC) played another tight game at Mesa Community College (13-4, 8-3) on Saturday in a battle between two NJCAA Division II nationally ranked programs.
The No. 16 ranked Aztecs fell to the No. 6 Thunderbirds 54-50 on Saturday in Mesa. It was the second time this season the Aztecs have lost at Mesa as they fell 73-72 on Dec. 9.
With the game tied at 50-50, the Aztecs missed shots on their final three possessions as the Thunderbirds kept Pima off the glass for one-and-done opportunities. Mesa took the lead with 19.0 seconds left and hit two free throws with 05.0 seconds left to seal it.
The Aztecs trailed for much of the first quarter but bounced back in the second. They scored the first nine points to start the second quarter and turned it into a 16-4 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 25-17. The Thunderbirds cut it to a three points but freshman Rylei Waugh hit a shot from the corner at the buzzer to make it 27-22 at the break.
The Thunderbirds went on an 8-0 run to begin the third quarter but the Aztecs countered with a basket from freshman Rori Hoffmeyer (Cibola HS), a free throw from sophomore Dominique Acosta (Nogales HS) and a three-point play from freshman Gabby Lopez (Bisbee HS) as Pima retook the lead at 33-30. The Aztecs led 36-35 but Mesa went on a 9-1 run that carried into the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.
The momentum swung back into Pima’s favor again as they went on a 10-2 run to take a 47-46 lead after Acosta’s basket in the paint capped it with 5:33 left in the game. That was their last lead of the game.
Waugh finished with a team-high 23 points as she went 9 for 10 from the free throw line. She also had two steals.
Lopez also scored in double figures with 12 points to go along with three rebounds and three steals.
Hoffmeyer posted seven points and nine rebounds while Acosta had three points and seven rebounds.
The Aztecs got five points from the bench. Pima grabbed six offensive rebounds while the Thunderbirds finished with 20 offensive boards.
The Aztecs are back at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium on Wednesday when they host Chandler-Gilbert Community College. This will be the third meeting between the teams this season. Pima won 61-50 on Dec. 13 in Chandler and 80-34 on Jan. 10 at the Aztec Gym.
PCC 9 18 10 13 50
MCC 13 9 20 12 54
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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