North Las Vegas, NV - In an intense showdown at the CSN Women's Basketball Holiday Invitational, the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) Coyotes were outpaced by the Western Wyoming Community College Mustangs, culminating in a 66-57 defeat on their home court on December 17, 2024. Despite a valiant effort and a late-game rally, the Coyotes could not overcome the Mustangs' consistent performance across all four quarters.

The game started with CSN trailing slightly, ending the first quarter down 18-13 as Western Wyoming took an early lead. The Mustangs continued to build on their momentum, leading each quarter and maintaining control of the game's pace. Despite strong efforts from CSN's players to close the gap, including a late surge in the fourth quarter where they outscored the Mustangs 16-9, it was not enough to secure a victory.

CSN's Saroiya Ajomale led the team with an impressive performance, scoring 19 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, showcasing her prowess on both ends of the court. Kayla Terry also made significant contributions with 11 points and 12 rebounds. However, the Coyotes struggled with their shooting, finishing the game with a field goal percentage of only 28.6% compared to the Mustangs' 32.5%. CSN also faced challenges beyond the arc, hitting only 16.1% of their three-point attempts.

The Coyotes demonstrated resilience and a strong defensive game, evidenced by their rebounding advantage of 61-49 over the Mustangs. Additionally, they managed to score 12 points off second-chance opportunities and added 15 bench points, reflecting the depth of talent in the team.

Western Wyoming's Austyn Feller matched Ajomale's 19 points, and their combined team effort in the paint and aggressive defense, tallying up 15 steals, proved too much for the Coyotes. The Mustangs also capitalized on turnovers, scoring 18 points off CSN's mistakes, which contributed significantly to their win.

Despite the loss, the Coyotes showed flashes of brilliance and potential for growth. They will look to learn from this experience as they continue to develop their team dynamics and refine their strategies in the ongoing season. The CSN community remains hopeful and supportive, eagerly anticipating the team's next performance and their potential return to form in future games.