Aztecs Women's Basketball's 7-game winning streak snapped by rival Mesa CC

The top two teams in ACCAC Division II squared off on Friday as Pima Community College women's basketball (19-8, 12-6 in ACCAC) hosted Mesa Community College (18-7, 13-5).

• The No. 10 ranked Aztecs fell to the Thunderbirds 73-65 snapping their 7-game winning streak. Pima and Mesa were tied for first place in Division II coming into Friday's contest.
• The Aztecs trailed for a majority of the second half but kept the score close. Down 58-53 in the early moments of the fourth quarter, freshman Matehya Aberle (Holbrook HS) converted on a three-point play to cut it to 58-56 with 6:32 left but the Thunderbirds scored the next five points in three minutes with make it 63-56 with 3:26 remaining.
• Freshman Luisayde Chavez (Rio Rico HS) hit a three-pointer but Mesa countered with one of their own. The Aztecs trailed by as much as 10 points at 69-59 with under a minute left.
• The Aztecs led by as much as three points at 25-22 in the second quarter. Mesa went on an 8-4 run to end the half as Pima trailed 30-29 at the break.
• Freshman Jaslyn Booker (Buena HS) finished with a team-high 16 points off the bench as she went 7 for 9 from the field and had seven rebounds.
• Chavez posted 15 points and seven rebounds while Aberle went 4 for 4 from the field with 13 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Melissa Simmons contributed with 11 points.
• The Aztecs had 31 turnovers for the game and were 14 for 24 from the free throw line.
• The Aztecs and Thunderbirds split the regular season meetings as Pima bested Mesa 70-64 on Dec. 11.
• The Aztecs play at Cochise College on Saturday in Douglas. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

MCC   16   14   23   20   73
PCC    13   16   20   16   65