T-Bird WBB Earns Bounce-Back Win

The Thunderbirds overcame a four-point deficit at half to come from behind and knock off Howard College 62-51. 

NMJC was nearly at a stalemate in the first quarter. The T-Birds were behind 12-9 with 2:37 remaining in the quarter and went on to outscore the Hawks 4-0 the rest of the way to hold a one-point lead, 13-12.

The Thunderbirds held another one-point lead, 25-24, at the 4:27 mark following a Khadidja Toure jumper. The Hawks reeled off a 7-0 run to grab a 31-25 lead with 13:36 left in the half.

Toure hit another jumper with 58 seconds in the quarter to make the halftime score 31-27. The third quarter was all NMJC. The T-Birds outscored the Hawks 16-6 and held Howard to 3-of-16 shooting in the quarter.  NMJC was up 43-37 on Howard after three quarters of play.

Howard cut the T-Bird lead to two points, 49-47, on a layup with four minutes left in the fourth quarter. NMJC hit the gas in the final four minutes and closed the game on a 13-4 run to win 62-51.

Pania Davis had another monster game for the T-Birds. The freshman forward scored 20 points and snatched 13 rebounds to record her 12th double-double of the season.

Aaliyah Holmes had 13 points on 3-of-7 from downtown. Cacia Antonio reached double figures in scoring with 10 points and six rebounds.

The Thunderbirds shot 22-for-58 (37.9%) from the field, 4-of-16 (25%) from 3-point land, and 14-of-19 (73.7%) from the free throw line. NMJC held the Hawks to 31.6% from the field.

No. 8 NMJC moves to 21-5 (10-1) on the year and will face Midland College in Midland, Texas Thursday, Feb. 22 at 5:45 p.m. CST. 

The T-Birds (10-1) are one game ahead of Odessa (9-1) in the WJCAC standings.