The Western Colorado women's basketball team shot 59% from the field, including going 7-of-11 from 3-point range, in the first half, while building a 51-22 intermission lead and went on to defeat Chadron State 81-63 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game played in Gunnison
on Friday night.
The Mountaineers' attack was led by sophomore Ivey Schmidt and freshman Jayda Maves, both of whom sank five 3-pointers while finishing with 25 points apiece.
After being overwhelmed by the hosts in the first half, the Eagles had more success in the second half, when they outscored Western 41-30.
The Mountaineers jumped out to a 22-10 lead in the first quarter by making eight-of-15 field goal shots and all five of their free throws. They were even more successful in the second period, when they were nine-of-14 from the field, including six-of-eight from behind the arc. They also were five-of-six from the charity stripe in the second stanza.
Chadron State was only seven-of-19 with one 3-pointer from the field in the opening half, to go with seven-of-12 on free throws.
For the game, Western shot 46% (29-63) from the field overall and was 13-of-29 on threes. Chadron State finished at 40.8% (20-49) on its field goal shots and went 3-14 from long range. CSC finished with 20 points at the free throw lin, twice as many as Western's total.
The Eagles' leading scorers were sophomore
Allison Olsen with 17 points and senior
Awoti Akoi with 16. Both are career-highs.
Both Maves and Schmidt, Western's 25-point scorers, made nine field goals, five of them treys, and added two free throws. There was one difference their stats. Schmidt took just five 3-point shots and Maves launched 13.
Chadron State is now 6-15 for the season and 4-12 in the RMAC. Western has the same number of wins in both categories, but has lost one fewer game.
The Eagles will play at home twice each of the next two weekends. New Mexico Highlands and CSU-Pueblo will be their opponents
next Friday and Saturday nights,
Feb. 16 and 17.
