Box Score

CANYON, Texas - Jenessa Burke (Aurora, Colo./Highlands Ranch H.S.) scored 25 points off the bench, including the game-winning shot, as No. 5 Metro State won 66-65 at West Texas A&M at the Roberts Ditching Lady Buff Thanksgiving Classic in Canyon, Texas. The Roadrunners improved to 3-0, while WTAMU fell to 0-3.

It's the first 0-3 start for the Lady Buffs since 1980-81 and Metro State's second consecutive 3-0 start.

Burke scored 17 of her 25 points in the second half, including 15 points in the final 6:14 of the game. She also had 15 of the team's final 17 points.

With usual go-to players Jasmine Cervantes (Johnstown, Colo./Berthoud H.S.), Caley Dow (Centennial, Colo./Arapahoe H.S.), Brandi Valencia (Moriarty, N.M./Moriarty H.S.) and Amy Nelson (Richmond, Utah/Sky View H.S.) all in foul trouble with either four or five fouls late in the game, Burke took over.

The Lady Buffs led 53-49 when Burke converted a three-point play with 6:14 to play to cut the lead to one.

Candice Kohn (Midland, Texas/Midland Christian H.S.) put the Roadrunners in front 54-53 with a layup with 5:27 left. It was all Burke after that as she scored Metro State's final 12 points.

WTAMU held a 65-62 lead with 1:41 left following a four-point run. Burke hit a jump shot with 1:30 left to cut the lead to 65-64.

With 18 seconds left, Burke forced a steal and went in for the game-winning layup for a 66-65 lead with 14 seconds left.

The Roadrunners got a defensive stop on the final Lady Buff possession as they missed a 3-pointer with six seconds left. Cervantes grabbed the rebound and was fouled, but missed the front end of the 1-and-1 with one second to play.

Burke finished 12-of-15 from the floor with five rebounds.

Despite battling foul trouble the entire game, Dow and Nelson each had eight points. Dow had seven rebounds and Nelson pulled down four.

Cervantes was held to just two points, but had eight rebounds to lead the team, and four assists.

Emily Wood (Louisville, Colo./Monarch H.S.) had seven points, Kristin Valencia (Moriarty, N.M./Moriarty H.S.) had six and Alyssa Benson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Minnetonka H.S.) and Candice Kohn (Midland, Texas/Midland Christian H.S.) each had five. Kohn also had a career-high five assists.

For just the fourth time in the past two seasons, Metro State was outrebounded, 37-36.

WTAMU made 17-of-28 at the line and the Roadrunners converted 6-of-9, with Metro State nearly doubling the Lady Buff foul total, 21-12.

Metro State will face Angelo State (Texas) tomorrow at the Lady Buff Thanksgiving Classic.