(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College women’s basketball team suffered a rare feat on Thursday in its NJCAA Region I, Division II Semifinal matchup against Scottsdale Community College (18-11).
The No. 2 seeded Aztecs fell to the No. 3 Artichokes 49-43. It was the first time the Aztecs had lost in the semifinal round since the 2014-15 season. The 43 points scored in the game matched their lowest point total of the season.
Down 35-29 with 8:
47 left in the game, the Aztecs went on a 6-0 run with free throws from freshman Amelie Buffill-Gutierrez (Sabino HS), a jumper from freshman Rylei Waugh and a steal and basket from freshman Gabby Lopez (Bisbee HS) to tie the game at 35-35. The Artichokes scored the next five points to reclaim the lead.
The Aztecs cut it to two points at 45-43 after Waugh’s drive and score as Pima called timeout with 29 seconds left.
The Artichokes missed a pair of free throws, but Makeylei Snyder grabbed the offensive rebound on the second miss and was fouled. She hit both of her foul shots to make it 47-43 with 11.8 seconds left. Scottsdale made two more free throws to seal it.
The Aztecs shot 25 percent from the field in the first half and finished the game at 35 percent. They went 0 for 11 from three-point range.
Waugh finished with a team-high 12 points to go with four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Sophomore Dominique Acosta (Nogales HS) went 5 for 7 from the field and finished with 11 points. She added four rebounds and three blocks.
Freshman Rori Hoffmeyer (Cibola HS) scored 10 points as she went 4 for 5 from the field and pulled down seven rebounds. Lopez had two points and eight rebounds.
The Aztecs sit at 23-8 overall and await the NJCAA Division II National Tournament selection show to see if they receive an at-large bid. The tournament is Mar. 18-23 at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center in Joplin, MO.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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