YUMA, Ariz. – The Arizona Western Matadors Women's Basketball team (26-4) advanced to the second round of the NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Championship with a 67-49 win over State Fair Community College (24-7) on Tuesday afternoon in Casper, Wyo., at the Ford Wyoming Center.

Freshman guard Nyah Hardy scored a game-high 22 points and went 5-for-7 from the three-point line to lead three Matadors in double figures in the win over the Roadrunners.

The Matadors opened their third-ever trip to the national tournament by outscoring State Fair 17-12 in the first quarter, using an 11-0 run after falling behind 5-4 early in the game, building a 15-5 lead. State Fair cut the Matadors' lead to six points at 27-21 in the second quarter before Arizona Western closed the half by outscoring the Roadrunners 11-6 to take a 38-27 lead into the locker room.

Hardy pushed the Matadors' lead to 18 points at 51-33 with a made three-pointer in the third quarter and withstood a small State Fair run to take a 56-38 lead into the fourth quarter. Mable Doumbia gave the Matadors their largest lead at 60-40 with a pair of free throws before the Roadrunners cut the lead down to 15 points with a 5-0 run. The Matadors stretched the lead back to 20 points at 67-47 and held on for the 67-49 win.

Doumbia scored 17 points and led the team in assists with four, and Dyvine Harris also finished the game with 17 points. Rita Gomes led the team in rebounds with nine, and Jordan Labrador-Hallett finished the game with eight.

With the win, the Matadors advance to face the No. 4 seed Dodge City Community College in the second round of the NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Championship on Thursday, March 27, at 1:30 pm Arizona time from the Ford Wyoming Center. The Matadors' matchup with the Conquistadors will be broadcast on ESPN+.