Colorado College earned a dramatic 65–63 road win over St. Thomas (TX) on Saturday afternoon in Houston, Texas, capped by a game-winning three-pointer with three seconds remaining. Junior
JuJu Garcia drilled the game-winner in crunch time after the Tigers ran a beautiful inbound play on the Celts' side of the court.
Freshman
Rayna Welsch received the inbound pass and found the open Garcia, who drilled the triple and handed the Tigers their second-straight win over St. Thomas this season.
After trailing 16–13 at the end of the first quarter, CC surged ahead with an intense second quarter, outscoring St. Thomas 22–16 to take a 35–32 lead into halftime. The Tigers shot 64.3 percent from the field in the second quarter and knocked down three three-pointers during the run.
St. Thomas responded in the third, edging CC 17–13 to reclaim a 49–48 advantage heading into the final quarter. The fourth period remained tight throughout, with five lead changes before the final seconds.
With the score tied at 62–62, St. Thomas briefly grabbed the lead on a jumper with six seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession,
JuJu Garcia connected from beyond the arc with three seconds left, delivering the decisive basket and sealing the victory for CC.
Senior
Kayla Mackel led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting, adding seven assists and six steals while playing 38 minutes. Welsch was a steady presence in the paint, finishing with 19 points and seven rebounds, including seven points in the fourth quarter.
Senior
Andie Will contributed 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while
Isa Nelson added five points and three rebounds.
Naiya Kurnik chipped in four rebounds and a three-pointer, and
Avery Johnson provided a spark off the bench with three points and three rebounds. Garcia finished with three points, all coming on the game-winning shot.
CC finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field and held a 34–30 edge in points in the paint. The Tigers also recorded 12 steals and forced 26 turnovers, converting them into 13 points.
With the win, CC improves to 7–4 overall and 2–0 in SCAC play. The Tigers return home next weekend to host Austin College on Friday, Jan. 9 at Reid Arena.
