ODESSA, Texas, November 4, 2021 – On its second day down at the Odessa College Tip-Off Classic, the Monroe College Mustangs women's basketball team fell to host Odessa, 77-65, Thursday evening at the OC Sports Center. The Mustangs fall to 0-2 on the season, while the Wranglers improve to 1-0.
 
Thursday's contest was knotted up at 4-4 with 7:25 left in the first, but the Wranglers then scored 10 straight points to go up, 14-4. The lead later grew to 21-6 by the end of the first quarter.
 
The Mustangs made a push to open the second stanza, going on a 9-4 run to get within 10 at 25-15. A three by Aysia Pink, a jumper by Daja Wentz, and then a pair of free throws by Naomi Barnwell later in the frame cut the deficit down to eight with 2:10 to play before the break, but the Wranglers scored the final six points of the half to take a 42-28 advantage into halftime.
 
Barnwell and Olivia Medford matched for a team-high eight points after 20 minutes. Barnwell also led the team with four rebound, two assists and two steals, while going 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
 
The Mustangs were within 12 early in the third quarter, but the Wranglers soon pushed their lead to 51-34 with 4:33 left in the period. The lead hit 19 before the Mustangs scored 5-of-8 points to cut the deficit back down to 17. Odessa's Jin Dai closed out the third with a three to give the home team a 62-42 lead heading into the fourth.
 
The Mustangs chipped away at the deficit over the first four minutes of the fourth, with a three by Medford making it a 16-point game. Tanae Arnold made a layup a minute later to make it a 71-57 score, and then Sara Carvajal-Caro made a two to bring Monroe within 12. Another two by Medford got the Mustangs back within 10, but the Wranglers did not let it get any closer, defeating Monroe, 77-65.
 
Medford led the Mustangs with 17 points on Thursday, adding eight rebounds as well to a big night. Barnwell registered her first double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go with five assists and two steals. Carvajal-Caro picked up 13 points, while Wentz banked 12 with three assists.
 
Despite the loss, the Mustangs shot 48 percent (24-of-50) from the field, including 50 percent (8-of-16) from three-point range. The Wranglers made 31-of-70 (44.3 percent) of their shots from the field, and 36.4 percent (12-of-33) from beyond the arc.
 
The Mustangs will look to leave Texas with one in the win column when they wrap up the trip tomorrow, Nov. 5, with a matchup against Midland College. Tip-off on Friday is set for 11 a.m. EST.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 39 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 18 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).