Denver, Colo. -New Mexico College (3-14, 1-3 A.I.I.) maintained a lead for all but 42 seconds of the second half and held on the defeat Arizona Christian University (7-15, 3-3 A.I.I.), 75-70, in Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) women's basketball action, Saturday, Jan. 21, at Johnson and Wales University's Wildcat Gymnasium in Denver, Colorado. In her first game of the season for NNMC, Michelle Montes contributed 28 points and 11 rebounds, helping NNMC end a 14-game losing streak, including two losses at ACU, 96-87 and 90-61, Jan. 13-14. ACU lost its second consecutive game. 

Coached by Jerry Conner, ACU hopes to pick up an A.I.I. victory when it hosts La Sierra University (4-22; 1-0 A.I.I.), on Homecoming Saturday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m., in Fultz Memorial Gym on the ACU campus. Five ACU seniors will be honored prior to the last home contest of the 2011-12 season, Jan. 28, including guard Steffani Liscum (Tucson, Ariz./Marana H.S.), a two-year starter with 947 career points who ranks second in the NAIA Division II and first in the NCCAA with a 22.3 point average; guard Anne Munsil (Scottsdale, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian Academy), a four-year starter with nearly 800 career points; guards Elizabeth Inscore (Dayville, Ore./Dayville H.S.) and Jessica Smith (Mesa, Ariz./Home Schooled), who both are three-year letter-winners; and guard Deserae Palomares (Phoenix, Ariz./St. Mary's H.S./South Mountain CC), a two-year letter-winner. 

The score was tied four times in the first half and just once in the second half, and the lead exchanged hands twice in each half. The Eagles took their widest advantage of the game, 34-26, on Nisa Duran's three-pointer with 6:15 left in the first half, and led 41-39 at halftime. NNMC led by seven points four times in the second half, including 69-62 with 3:34 left to play. 

Arizona Christian's biggest lead of the game was just two points early in the game, and the Firestorm took a 53-52 lead on a field goal by Inscore with 11:24 left, their only lead of the second half. ACU sliced NNMC's lead to 69-66 on two free throws by junior guard Jessica Largo (Gallup, N.M./Rehoboth Christian H.S.) with 1:50 to play and trailed 73-70 after 

Liscum's basket with 11 seconds remaining. A pair of NNMC free throws with eight seconds left iced the contest, and Montes' steal with three seconds left ended all chance of an ACU comeback. 

Three Eagles scored in double figures, including Montes' 28, 16 of them in the first half. Montes made 11 of her 18 shots and six of eight free throws, gathered 11 rebounds and had one steal. Duran totaled 19 points, her season average, 11 in the first half, one three-pointer, six of seven free throws, six rebounds, two assists and two steals, and guard Erica Williams added 11 pints, one three-pointer, five rebounds, 11 assists and three steals. Guard Melanie Vigil added seven points, one three-pointer, two assists and three steals. 

Liscum, who also ranks eighth in the NAIA Division II with 60 steals and 13th with 58 three- point field goals, finished with 20 points, 11 in the first half, for the second consecutive game and has scored 20 or more points in 14 of ACU's 22 games this season. Liscum also made 3 three-pointers and five of six free throws, grabbed eight rebounds and had two steals. 

Freshman Sarah Beth Hock (Gilbert, Ariz./Perry H.S.) added 21 points, nine rebounds and two steals, and ranks tenth in the NAIA Division II with a 55.1 field goal percentage and 22nd in total rebounds (181). Freshman forward Jamie Heath added nine points with one three-pointer, Largo scored seven points with one three-pointer and had eight rebounds, three assists and two steals, and freshman starting forward Stephanie Brimhall (Gilbert, Ariz./Perry H.S.) scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds, passed two assists and stole the ball from the Eagles once. Inscore contributed five points and three rebounds, and Munsil was held scoreless but gave ACU three rebounds, three assists and one steal.