(Thatcher, AZ) The Pima Community College women’s basketball team (23-7, 18-5 in ACCAC) closed out the regular season on Monday as it played at Eastern Arizona College (27-3, 20-3) in Thatcher.
The No. 11 ranked Aztecs had their 11-game winning streak snapped as they fell to the Gila Monsters 73-64. The Aztecs closed the regular season with an 18-5 record in ACCAC conference play, which is the most since 2010-11. They also finished the regular season at 23-7 overall for the second straight season.
The Aztecs trailed 55-54 entering the fourth quarter and tied it with 8:31 left but the Gila Monsters went on a 13-4 run in four and a half minutes to take a 68-59 advantage with 4:03left. Eastern capped the run with back-to-back three-pointers.
The Aztecs would not go away as freshmen Rori Hoffmeyer (Cibola HS) and Amelie Buffill-Gutierrez (Sabino HS) each hit a pair of free throws, and freshman Rylei Waugh made 1 for 2 to cut Eastern’s lead to 68-64. The Aztecs wouldn’t not score in the final 2:45of the game. Eastern Arizona outscored the Aztecs 18-10 in the fourth quarter as eight of Pima’s 10 points came from the foul line.
The score was tied at 37-37 in the early moments of the third quarter and the Aztecs got a boost from freshman Gabby Lopez (Bisbee HS), who scored seven of Pima’s nine points to take their biggest lead of the game at 46-37. Lopez also came up with three steals during that stretch; two led to fast break baskets. The Gila Monsters countered with a 7-0 run in a little over a minute to make it 46-44.
Waugh scored a team-high 20 points and also had four assists while Lopez finished with 15 points, four steals and three rebounds.
Buffill-Gutierrez went 4 for 8 from the field with 10 points to go with two assists and two steals. Hoffmeyer contributed with seven points and 12 rebounds.
The No. 2 seeded Aztecs will play No. 3 Scottsdale Community College in the NJCAA Region I, Division II Semifinals on Thursday at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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