“We turned over the ball and that makes it really tough [to score],” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “They’re a good team but we can play better than this and we put them on the free throw line way too many times. We rebounded a lot better, but turnovers will kill you. We’ll have a good practice tomorrow and will come back focused, ready to win the game [Saturday].”
Crystal Allen (Fort Worth, Texas) would hit a jumper 20 seconds before the Aggies gained the lead a minute later on a three-pointer by Moriah Mack. NM State would increase their lead to seven, 13-6, by 12:47 on a Tamera William three-pointer but the Redhawks would put together a 8-2 run over the next three minutes to trail by just one, 15-14, by 9:41.
Sasha Weber scored her first points of the game bookended by Shanice Davis three-pointers to put the Aggies back up by nine, 23-14, with just under seven minutes until half and they would lead again by nine three minutes later, 28-19.
Seattle U would cut NMSU’s lead to just two, 29-27, with 1:41 until half on three straight pairs of free throws and a jumper from Renee Dillard-Brown (Seattle, Wash.).
Weber and Taelor Ross (Vancouver, Wash.) traded buckets before William hit a three to extend the Aggies’ lead back to six with 20 seconds left before halftime. Jazmine Johnson (Lakewood, Calif.), fouled with nine seconds remaining in the first half, hit both free throws to bring the Redhawks within four, 35-31, at half.
Moriah Mack drove in a layup nearly three minutes into the second half to put the Aggies up by double digits, 44-33, leading by as many as 17, 52-35, at the 13:41 mark.
Over the next four minutes, the Redhawks would record a 12-0 run to trail by just five, 52-47, just over halfway through the second half, but NMSU would jump out to a 12-point lead just over a minute later.
The Redhawks would come within five different times in the final 2:44, but it would be as close as they would come, falling by the same margin, 76-69.
Plagued by turnovers, the Redhawks’ 27 accounted for 26 New Mexico State points. SU outrebounded NMSU, 43-29, but the Aggies led from the field and behind the arc while the Redhawks led from the line, shooting 88.5 percent (23-for-26), their second best of the season.
Allen led all players on the floor with 20 points while Dillard-Brown followed closely behind with a career-high 19 points, one rebound shy of the double-double. Claire Metoyer (Desoto, Texas) dished out a career-high six assists and made a career-high three steals.
Seattle U is set to host the University of Texas-Pan American on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 4pm in the team’s annual Play4Kay “Pink” Game to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and the fight against women’s cancers. Fans can donate to the cause at www.play4kay.org/seattleuwbb and will have several opportunities throughout Saturday’s game to get involved.