The Snow College women's basketball team secured a pair of victories at the Gila Monsters Tournament last weekend in Thatcher, Arizona. The Badgers defeated Cochise College 68-42 and Yavapai College 69-32. The wins sandwiched a 65-55 defeat to No. 3 Eastern Arizona College during the three-day tournament.
 
The Badgers entered the tournament following two wins during the Snow College Classic to begin the season. They secured wins against Yavapai and the College of Southern Nevada in Richfield.
 
The Badgers raced out to a 13-5 lead against the Apaches to begin the tournament. They surrendered just eight points in each of the first two quarters to take a 29-16 lead into the halftime break.
 
Cochise fought back in the third period and was able to cut the Badgers' lead down to single digits. Snow College used a 13-6 run to take its largest lead of the third quarter before entering the final stanza with a 45-31 lead.
 
The Badgers used a 12-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to lock down the victory. They scored 23 points in the fourth quarter – their most in any quarter of the game – en route to a 68-42 victory.
 
Seini Tuipulotu led the way offensively with 15 points and four rebounds. Sydnee Smith recorded 11 points and six rebounds, while June Olsen also had 11 points to aid in the victory.
 
Snow College gave the Gila Monsters everything they could handle in the second game of the tournament. After both teams scored nine points in the first quarter, the Badgers took a brief four-point lead to begin the second period.
 
A 7-0 run from the Gila Monsters turned the lead into a deficit. Snow College scored eight of the final 10 points of the quarter, however, to take a 27-25 lead into halftime.
 
The opening minutes of the third quarter teeter-tottered before an 8-0 run from the Badgers gave them a six-point lead – their largest advantage of the game. EAC would tie the score at 41 before Snow College took a 45-41 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
The first seven minutes of the fourth quarter saw four ties and three lead changes. With three minutes left to play and the score tied at 53, the Gila Monsters used a 9-0 run to take a 62-53 lead with under a minute to play. The lead was insurmountable, and the Badgers fell 65-55.
 
Just two Badgers scored in double figures, led once again by Tuipulotu, who finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. Lala Baldwin chipped in 10 points on 4-8 shooting from the field.
 
The Badgers wrapped up the tournament against Yavapai, whom they beat 97-53 in the season opener earlier this year. Saturday's matchup followed a similar suit as the Badgers allowed just seven points in the first half.
 
Snow College outscored the Roughriders 24-2 in the first quarter and eventually took a 34-7 lead into halftime. The Roughriders picked up the offense in the second half, but could not chase down the Badgers as Snow College earned a 69-32 victory.
 
Avery Allred led all scorers with 14 points and eight rebounds. Megan Johnson was a perfect 5-5 from the field to finish with 10 points and seven rebounds. Dalana Jokovljevic also recorded 10 points in the win.
 
Snow College will now head to Price to participate in the Eagle Classic hosted by Utah State University Eastern, Friday and Saturday. The Badgers will take on Central Wyoming College Friday at 1:00 p.m. before facing Eastern Wyoming College Saturday at 11:00 a.m. For video streaming and live stats information, visit snowbadgers.com.