Friday evening the Mesa's women's basketball team took on Oklahoma Panhandle State in the Fort Lewis Classic in Durango hoping to open the 2008-09 season with a win. MSC held a 10-8 lead at the 14:38 mark of the first half when Panhandle's Rachael Beck hit a trey for a 11-10 lead. The Lady Aggies extended their lead to as much as 14 in the first half. MSC went on a 17-5 run with 6:20 left in the first half to pull to within 31-33 at halftime.

                MSC trailed in the second half until Alaina Brennan's layup with 2:55 remaining in regulation to give the Mavericks a 60-59 lead. Panhandle shut down the Mavs following the layup by Brennan, forcing three turnovers and closing out the game on a 6-0 run and a 65-60 Panhandle victory.

                Brennan managed to score a total of 14 points off the bench and Hannah Breidel finished with 11 points, four rebounds and a game high five assists.

Despite holding a 40-30 rebound edge, MSC was just 4-of-5 from the foul line while the Lady Aggies went to the line 26 times, hitting 16, including 11-of-22 second half free throws.

MSC will play Angelo State Saturday night in Durango.