FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Madison Booker scored 21 points and Taylor Jones added 20 as fifth-ranked Texas pulled away from New Mexico State 90-50 in the first round of the Gulf Coast Showcase women’s basketball tournament on Friday.
With former Texas coach Jody Conradt coach looking on, Texas went on a 12-0 run to take a 19-8 lead. Helped by another 9-0 run and a Booker 3-pointer at the buzzer, the Longhorns went up 41-25 at halftime.
Advertisement
Texas came in forcing almost 29 turnovers a game. While the Aggies handled the Longhorns’ press for the most part, they had difficulties running their half-court offense. Texas turned 25 Aggies turnovers into 37 points.
Texas isn’t particularly long without 6-foot-9 Abbie Boutilier, who’s recovering from a stress fracture, but New Mexico State had just one starter taller than 6-foot.
Molly Kaiser led New Mexico State with 14 points and Sylena Peterson added 11.
Takeaways
Texas: The Longhorns are deeper than last year’s Elite Eight team. A total of 11 players saw more than 12 minutes of action.
New Mexico State: With solid guard play, the Aggies will be no pushover in Conference USA. However, Kaiser, averaging more than 21 points a game, needs scoring help.
Advertisement
Key moment
After falling behind 38-20, New Mexico State drew within 38-25 and had the ball after forcing a turnover in the final seconds. However, the Aggies also turned the ball over with 1.6 seconds left. That was enough time for Booker to nail her 3-pointer at the buzzer to put Texas back up by 16.
Key stat
Jones scored 18 of her 20 points in the second half. She made seven of eight shots in the second half while adding four free throws. She also had five offensive rebounds.
Up next
Texas will play Butler in the Gulf Coast Showcase semifinals.
New Mexico State will play Santa Clara.
___
Advertisement
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
Enter your email and we’ll send a secure one-click link to sign in.
KRQE NEWS 13 is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
Advertisement
KRQE NEWS 13 is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — An ‘imposter nurse’ in Las Cruces is facing 34 charges after nearly causing the death of a patient and illegally giving medications to patients under 18 years old.
A Doña Ana County grand jury indicted Margarita Gonzalez. She is accused of assuming the identities of nurses in Texas to get hired at four nursing facilities in Las Cruces:
Village at Northrise
Las Cruces Wellness and Rehabilitation
Peak Behavioral Health
Matrix Home Care
The New Mexico Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Bureau investigated and discovered instances where Gonzalez illegally gave injections and dispensed prescriptions, including narcotics to eight inpatient residents under 18 years old.
An investigation also found Gonzalez was also about to allegedly give “an incorrect insulin dose” to a patient that they claim could’ve killed the patient if another nurse hadn’t caught the error.
Several facilities fired Gonzalez over patient safety concerns and an observed lack of knowledge.
Advertisement
“Impersonating a healthcare provider is a reckless and selfish crime that subjects those most vulnerable to risk of serious injury or death,” Attorney General Raúl Torrez said. “I will not tolerate those who risk the safety of patients or cause danger and unnecessary confusion within the healthcare system. These charges should keep anyone attempting to pose as a healthcare provider on notice: we will find you, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law to protect New Mexicans.”
Gonzalez’s charges include identity theft, nursing without a license, abuse of a resident, distribution of controlled substances to a minor and fraud totaling over $25,000.
If convicted on all counts, Gonzalez could face up to 100 years in prison.
