(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College women’s basketball team (19-6, 14-4 in ACCAC) scored a big conference victory on Wednesday at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium against rival Mesa Community College (19-5, 14-4).
The No. 14 ranked Aztecs led the entire game as they beat the No. 4 Thunderbirds 69-62, snapping their 11-game winning streak. The Aztecs have now won seven straight games. It was Pima’s first win over the Thunderbirds this season as they dropped the previous two meetings at Mesa; 73-72 on Dec. 9 and 54-50 on Jan. 20, which has proven to be the last time the Aztecs suffered a loss. Both teams are tied for first place with 14-4 conference records.
The Aztecs took their biggest lead of the game at 59-46 in the early minutes of the fourth quarter, but the Thunderbirds gained some momentum with an 8-0 run to cut it to 59-54 with under three minutes left. Freshman Gabby Lopez’s (Bisbee HS) basket in the paint halted the run but the Thunderbirds scored again on the next possession. Lopez scored her second straight bucket as Mesa called timeout with the score at 63-56 with 1:40 left.
The Aztecs held Mesa scoreless for about 1:20 as freshman Rylei Waugh hit a couple free throws to keep the game out of reach. Lopez capped it off with a pair of free throws.
The Aztecs opened the game on a 16-4 run, but the Thunderbirds cut into it to make it 19-12 at the end of the first quarter. The teams went back and forth in the second quarter with neither team gaining a clear advantage as the Aztecs gripped a 33-27 at the break.
Lopez finished with a team-high 15 points to go with five rebounds.
Dominique Acosta – Photo/Stephanie van Latum
Sophomore Dominique Acosta (Nogales HS) had a good block with under a minute left, but she did her damage on the glass as she finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds. She went 5 for 9 from the field.
Waugh and freshman Amelie Buffill-Gutierrez (Sabino HS) each scored 10 points. Waugh added six rebounds and four assists while Buffill-Gutierrez was 3 for 6 from the field, along with four rebounds.
Freshman Rori Hoffmeyer (Cibola HS) contributed with three points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Jordan Joe had seven points off the bench.
The Aztecs will have one more break from game play before the final stretch of the regular season and the Region I Tournament as they host Phoenix College on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.
MESA 12 15 11 14 62
PIMA 19 14 17 19 69
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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