Women's Basketball | 11/26/2010 6:05:02 PM

Box Score [Box score]

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - A back-and-forth second half saw the Western Oregon women's basketball team fall to Mesa State 55-47 Friday, Nov. 26, in Brownson Arena.

The loss drops WOU to 1-3 while Mesa State improves to 3-0.

The Wolves were led by sophomore guard Jamie Richardson's (Grants Pass, Ore./Hidden Valley) game-high 16 points. She added five rebounds, three assists, and two steals to her tally. Senior forward Danielle Bellando (Eugene, Ore./Willamette) had eight points and junior forward Rylee Peterson (Newport, Ore./Newport) added seven points and a game-high nine rebounds.

Western struck early and led 9-8 with 11:56 left in the first half but found themselves trailing 29-26 at the half after Mesa State made a lay-up with one second on the clock. WOU came out firing in the second stanza and took a 40-35 lead with 11:41 remaining, but would go on to score just five points over the final 10:58 as Mesa State pulled away.

"Mesa State were definitely the aggressors tonight," WOU head coach Greg Bruce said. "We came out in the second half determined to match their intensity, and we did for a while, but we faded down the stretch. Part of that was some unforced errors on our part, but you have to give credit to Mesa, as well."

WOU shot 35.2-percent from the field (19-54), 21.7-percent from three-point range (5-23), and 80.0-percent from the free throw line (4-5). The five free throw attempts were the lowest since Dec. 15, 2006 (4 attempts). The Wolves also assisted on 14 of their 19 field goals. They forced Mesa State into 18 turnovers of which they converted 11 points. Western also added nine steals and four blocks.

Mesa State was led by junior guard Tara Gehring's 13 points. Kelsey Sigl added 11.

Western will wrap up their road trip tomorrow when they face off against UT-Permian Basin. UT-PB lost to Dixie State 82-67 in the day's first game. Tip-off time is set for 9:00 am PST.