(Joplin, MO) The Pima Community College women’s basketball team (24-9) faced a tough task on Tuesday as it took on the Community College of Baltimore County (MD) in the second round of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.
The No. 13 seeded Aztecs battled but came up short against the No. 4 seeded Knights 80-74. The Aztecs move to the seventh-place consolation bracket and play on Wednesday at the Leggett & Plant Athletic Center.
The Aztecs trailed for the entire game and were forced to rally from double digits on a couple of occasions.
Freshman Rylei Waugh fouled out with 6:57 left in the game as Pima trailed 64-61. The Knights took advantage and went on a 7-0 run to put it at 71-61. The Aztecs cut it to four points as freshman Gabby Lopez (Bisbee HS) made a free throw while freshman Annalise Holthaus (Ironwood Ridge HS) made a basket and sophomore Jordan Joe hit a three-pointer to put the score at 71-67 with 3:29 remaining. CCBC Essex hit a pair of free throws and Joe responded again with the three-ball as Pima made it a one possession game at 73-70.
The Knights made one free throw but recovered the offensive rebound on the second miss and got back to the foul line to make it 76-70 with 24.0 seconds left. Lopez missed two free throws with 17.2 seconds left and the Knights converted on their next trip to the foul line to put the game out of reach.
The Aztecs surrendered the first seven points of the game as they struggled with CCBC Essex’ pressure defense. They turned the ball over on three possessions in the first three minutes. Pima cut the deficit to one point at 15-14 but the Knights went on an 8-0 run to create some distance at 23-14.
The Aztecs trailed 41-36 at halftime and faced their biggest deficit of the game at 50-39 in the third quarter. They went on an 11-4 run to cut it to four points at 54-50. They were behind 63-57 heading into the fourth quarter.
Freshman Rori Hoffmeyer scored 15 of her team-high 20 points in the second half as she posted her eighth double-double of the season by adding 10 rebounds. She also had two assists.
Waugh finished the game with 12 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists.
Sophomore Dominique Acosta (Nogales HS) finished with 11 points and two rebounds while fellow sophomores Taina Lee and Jordan Joe each shot 4 for 8 from the field with 11 points off the bench. They each drained three 3-pointers and went a combined 6 for 12 from beyond the arc.
The Aztecs went 14 for 20 from the free throw line while the Knights finished 31 for 40 from the line. Waugh, Acosta, Lopez and freshman Amelie Buffill-Gutierrez (Sabino HS) all fouled out during the game.
The Aztecs will play No. 12 seed Parkland College in the first seventh place consolation game on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. (CDT); 11:00 a.m. Tucson time.
PCC 14 22 21 17 74
CCBC 21 20 22 17 80
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
Click on Logo
