Shorthanded Broncbusters fall to No. 5 New Mexico

La Junta, CO-Through two and half quarters on Saturday, Garden City had the fifth-ranked team in the country on the ropes.  

Then attrition set in in the second half. 

Three Broncbuster players fouled out over the final 20 minutes, leaving first-year Head Coach, Greg Franklin with just four available as the Broncbusters fell to New Mexico, 81-59 at the McDivitt Center on the second day of the Otero College Classic. 

"This one is on me," Franklin said. "I didn't have us ready for their zone." 

Pania Davis scored 28 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, and Amyah Sutton chipped in 17 points for New Mexico, which improved to 2-0 on the season.

"We ran out of gas in the fourth quarter," Franklin added. 

The Broncbusters, who closed the first half on an 8-2 run to take a 37-32 lead at the break, went up by eight, 52-44 following a pair of Maya Nieto free throws with 2:16 remaining in the third. Then In the final period, Ana Ramos Pires dished to a cutting Antonicia Moultrie, who floated it in from five feet out to make it 56-51 Garden City with 8:50 to play. 

"We did a lot of really good things in this game," Franklin said.  

It was all New Mexico from there. 

The Thunderbirds, who took advantage of Garden City's foul trouble, blitzed the shorthanded Broncbusters, 30-4 over the final 8:40. Then, with a little over a minute to go, Sierra Driessen was whistled for a questionable fourth foul. After a slight protest, she was given a technical, disqualifying her from the game and forcing the Broncbusters to play the final 60 seconds down one player.  

"It's unfortunate, but we will get things figured out," Franklin said. 

Pires scored 14 points on 7-of-14 shooting for Garden City, which dropped to 2-1 overall. Moultire added 12 points and five boards, and Stevi Yancy had 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. 

Garden City shot just 38 percent from the floor and was 3-of-14 from the beyond the arc.