Box Score BOX SCORE
SALT LAKE CITY – Playing a team they beat by 74 two nights earlier, the Westminster women's basketball team started sluggish before pulling away in the second half for an 82-55 win over Northern New Mexico on Saturday evening. Westminster (9-4) started five regular reserves and found themselves trailing 32-28 at halftime. With the regular starters playing much of the second half, Westminster outscored Northern New Mexico (0-11) 54-23 to take their fifth consecutive victory.
Northern New Mexico had opened up a 30-22 lead with 3:47 to play in the first half before the Griffins went on 16-2 run over the next seven minutes to build a six point advantage. That includes a 10-0 run to start the second half in which
McKenzie Jessop scored six of her 17 points. Westminster controlled the remainder of the game and eventually built the lead to 29.
“We asked our kids to play hard and defend and they did that, unfortunately they just didn't make shots,” head coach JD Gustin said of tonight's starting line-up.
After shooting just 36% in the first half, Westminster went 22-of-38 (57.9%) in the second half and 9-of-11 at the charity stripe. They shot just 20% from beyond the arc, including 1-of-12 in the second stanza, which is well below their 42.2% that was second in the nation entering the game. Westminster grabbed 43 rebounds and forced 21 turnovers which resulted in 32 points.
Candace Smith matched Jessop's 17 points to tie for tops on the team. Smith shot 7-of-12 and added five rebounds, two assists, and three steals in her first career start. Jessop added six rebounds, six steals, and five assists to her 18 second half minutes.
Keshia Catten scored 10 points, all in the second half.
“She is playing like an All-American candidate,” Gustin said of Jessop. “She is getting better every game and we need her to play like that.”
Megan Martinez led NNM with 20 points and connected on five triples. Erica Williams played all 40 minutes and scored 16 points for the undermanned Eagles who only dressed seven players for the game. Amberly Trujillo had 11 points.
Next for Westminster is an exhibition game up the street against the University of Utah. The game on Saturday, December 12 begins at 7 p.m. in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
