Women’s Basketball: NMSU wins in overtime to advance to WAC title game
The New Mexico State women’s basketball team survived an upset-minded UMKC team Friday in overtime in the WAC Tournament semifinals thanks in large part to 36 points from Gia Pack.
Pack connected on two consecutive three-pointers to kick off the scoring in the overtime period as NMSU held on for a 91-80 victory.
Monique Mills nearly won the game in regulation for NMSU, but her corner three-pointer was just off the mark, forcing the extra period.
Ericka Mattingly poured in 37 points of her own for UMKC, but it was not enough, as NMSU managed to win its 16th consecutive game.
“It was a heck of a ball game played by both teams,” said NMSU head coach Brooke Atkinson. “Hats off to my team, every last kid, whether they played or not, contributed. We hit big buckets. We got big stops down the stretch, and I couldn’t be happier.”
NMSU’s Brooke Salas, the WAC Player of the Year, chipped in with 12 points to go along with eight rebounds and six assists in the winning effort.
The Aggies will meet UT Rio Grande Valley in the title game Saturday at 3 p.m. MT with a spot in the NCAA Tournament on the line.
NMSU defeated UTRGV twice during the regular season, but those two wins came by a combined 11 points.
