LAS VEGAS, NM - February 9, 2008 - The #9 Fort Lewis College women's basketball team defeated the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls 93-46 Saturday night and clinched the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) West Division Championship with the win. With four games left on their schedule the Skyhawks clinched the RMAC West Division title with the Mesa State women losing to Western New Mexico. The Skyhawks improve to 22-1 overall and 15-0 in the RMAC, while the Cowgirls fall to 1-19 overall and 1-14 in conference play.
For only the third time in Fort Lewis history the Skyhawks have won the RMAC West Division title. The only other RMAC West Division Championships came in the 2003-04 season and the 2005-06 season. The RMAC crowd divisional champions for the first time in the 1996-97 season.
The Skyhawks, who defeated the Cowgirls by 56 at home two weeks ago, scored the first 21 points of the contest and held Highlands scoreless for nearly six minutes. Their lead would grow to as many as 29 in the first half where they hit 72% of their shots from the floor (18-of-25) and 83.3% of their foul shots (5-of-6). Audrey George (Longmont, CO/Niwot) and Allison Rosel (Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty) each scored in double figures in the first half and combined for eight rebounds.
The Skyhawks continued their pressure in the second half and went on a 13-2 run at the 16:02 mark of the second period to take a 39-point lead. The Skyhawks had another impressive 13-1 scoring run to close the final five minutes with the 47-point victory.
The Skyhawks control of the game came in every major statistical category. They out-rebounded the Cowgirls 36 to 22, they shot 63.6% from the field and held the Cowgirls to 32.2% from the floor, including 0-for-12 from downtown and they scored 48 points in the paint, 26 points off turnovers and 17 second-chance points. Fort Lewis shot nearly perfect from the foul line, making 13-of-14 attempts (92.9%) and had every player on their roster score at least four points.
Rosel, the nations leading field goal shooter, finished with a team-high 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting. She also grabbed seven rebounds, two assists and a block in 24 minutes. George finished 16 points and 10 rebounds in her third double-double of the season. George also recorded three steals, two assists and a pair of blocks for the Skyhawks.
Erin Kerr (Buckeye, AZ/Buckeye Union) scored 12 points on four three-pointers, while Lauren Redfern (Carbondale, CO/Basalt) added 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks. The other six players on the Skyhawks roster each scored at least four points.
The ninth ranked Skyhawks return to action next weekend when they host Adams State and CSU-Pueblo on Friday and Saturday night respectively. Friday night is J.J. Jumper, the NCAA's official basketball mascot, Night with the Skyhawks and "Take a Kid to the Game" night. Saturday is "Think Pink" night when everyone is encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness.
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