N.M. Highlands NMH 10-11,5-10 RMAC

Regis (CO) Regis 15-5,12-2 RMAC

N.M. Highlands NMH

10-11,5-10 RMAC

Final

Jan. 28, 2023

Regis (CO) Regis

15-5,12-2 RMAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
N.M. Highlands NMH	7	12	27	21	67
Regis (CO) Regis	12	18	16	23	69

Summary
Box Score

Billy Saunders, Regis Athletics

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | Jan 28 | Caty Llamas, Athletics Graduate Assistant

Deem's buzzer-beater lifts Rangers over Cowgirls, 69-67

DENVER, Colo. – The Regis University women's basketball team had senior forward Sam Deem call game Friday night as she drained the game-winning jump shot to push the Rangers to a 69-67 win over New Mexico Highlands University.

Deem was the hero Friday night as the Rangers (15-5 overall, 12-2 RMAC) looked for a last-second play to prevent the Cowgirls (10-11 overall, 5-10 RMAC) from sending the game to overtime.

"We were pretty banged up from yesterday and didn't have the rhythm that we normally have with flow tonight," said Regis women's basketball coach Molly Marrin. "Considering that, I thought that we continued to fight and made some huge stops on at the end of the fourth quarter to get us back in the game."

How It Happened: After a sluggish start to the first half, the Rangers went into fourth quarter confident after a five-point run to end the third leveled the score at 46-46.

At the start of the last 10 minutes in the game, the Cowgirls came out swinging and went on a 5-2 run through the eighth minute to go up 51-48.

A Cowgirls foul sent the Rangers to the free throw line, and following two shots from senior Sydney Speights, the margin was trimmed to one.

After a huge defensive board from senior forward Morgan L. Smith, fourth-year Josey Ryan and McKinney native Erin Fry scored back-to-back jumpers to force the Cowgirls to take a time out and regroup.

Three lead changes later, and the score was all tied up at 67-67 with 12 seconds left.

Regis took a timeout immediately after Smith grabbed another defensive board. Sophomore guard Athena Saragoza inbounded off the sideline to Fry, who passed it back to Saragoza.

Saragoza passed it to Ryan at the top of the arc, who broke between two defenders and bounce passed it to Deem.

Deem grabbed it and in one motion drained the game-winner as the clock hit zero.

The game-winner highlighted another strong performance from the Thornton native as she finished with her third double-double of the season scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Alongside Deem was Smith, Saragoza, Fry, and Ryan who all finished in double-digits. Smith also recorded her second double-double of the season.

"Players make plays and we have some very good players. Our chemistry has grown each game and it showed tonight at the end in being able to find the open Sam in the short corner," said Marrin. "She has shot that look a thousand times and I loved seeing her confidence in taking that. We have many players that can step up in a big moment and that's rare. It's a shot to remember for sure."

Game Notes:

Regis finished with its second-highest single-game rebounds on the season with 45
Morgan L. Smith finished with a season-high 13 rebounds
Rangers dominated fast break points (15-3)

Up Next: The Rangers hit the road next Friday as they play Colorado Mesa University (7-13 overall, 6-8 RMAC) in Grand Junction, Colo. at 5:30 P.M.

"Mesa is playing really well right now and is a tough loud place to play. We will need to lean into our strengths and be composed and confident. We are excited for next weekend's matchups," said Marrin.

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