No. 10 Lady T-Birds defeat No. 6 Odessa, 57-51

HOBBS, N.M. — The 10th-ranked New Mexico Junior College women's basketball team moved into first place by itself in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference after defeating No. 6 Odessa College 57-51 Monday at Caster Activity Center.

After the two teams slugged it out in a low-scoring first half that saw the Lady Thunderbirds (17-1, 4-0) and Lady Wranglers (17-4, 4-1) tied 18-18, NMJC was able to pull away in the second half thanks to shooting 47.8 percent from the field (11-for-23) while holding Odessa to 35.5 percent (11-for-31). The Lady Wranglers stayed in it in the second half thanks to going 7-for-15 from beyond the arc.

Free-throw shooting turned out to get the difference in the contest as NMJC finished 22-for-31 from the charity stripe while Odessa went 5-for-17, just 29.4 percent.

Freshman point guard Alana da Silva paced NMJC with 19 points while sophomore Angelica de Paulo had 19 points, seven rebounds and two blocks (she was also 12-for-12 from the free-throw line). Sophomore guard Kelsey Criner had a solid all-around game with 12 points, five steals and four rebounds.

Anushka Maldonado led Odessa with 12 points while AJ Daniels had seven points and 13 rebounds.

NMJC hosts Midland College 5:45 p.m. Thursday at Caster Activity Center.