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Late comeback was not enough for NM State.
Source: NMSU Athletics
By Louis Bolander
Photo: Courtesy
KENNESAW, Ga. – The NM State Aggies met the Owls in Kennesaw, Ga., in the first game of this week’s two-game slate. Though the Aggies would take a three-point lead in the final quarter, Kennesaw State ultimately took the win 66-68 at the KSU Convocation Center.
The Aggies found themselves in a drought right from the beginning as they allowed the Owls to go on an 11-0 run in the first quarter. With the exception of a quick layup in the first minute and a half of play, NM State would not find the bottom of the basket again unitl the 4:49 mark. This held the Aggies back to a 9-15 start against Kennesaw State.
In the second quarter, the Aggies managed to close the gap against the Owls as the team would go on their longest scoring run (8-0) of the game to pull within one point with 6:13 remaining on the clock. After a response from KSU, a wide open fastbreak finish from Loes Rozing carried life back into the Aggies as they would find themselves only down by two with 1:30 left to play in the first half. A late Owl bucket would leave the Aggies looking at a four-point deficit at the end of the first half.
The Aggies chipped away at Kennesaw’s lead coming out of the locker room as Molly Kaiser would drive in for a contested layup to begin the third period with an and-one opportunity. The Aggies outscored the Owls by four points in the period to end the third quarter tied dead even at 45-45.
The fourth quarter featured a back-and-forth battle as the lead flipped five separate times. The Aggies’ fourth-quarter charge was led by Kaiser and Jaila Harding who combined for 14 points in the final minutes of the game. Harding shot well from the arc, making two of her three made 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to keep the Aggies within reach of the owls.
With 11 seconds left on the clock and the Aggies controlling one final possession in a two-point game, Kaiser was forced to shoot a three from the corner but the shot would not fall and the home side would earn a two-point victory.
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NUMBERS OF NOTE
● Fanta Gassama finished one point shy of a double-double, tallying nine points and 10 rebounds.
● Both teams finished the matchup tonight with three separate individuals in double figures.
● Kaiser tied with her high in steals in a single game this season, recording five against the Owls. This would also equal her career high – matching a five-steal effort from 2023.
● Jaila Harding would also match her career high in steals with two – a mark she has now reached three times in her two-year collegiate career.
● Kennesaw State finished with two individuals that scored 20-plus points against the Aggies.
UP NEXT
The Aggies hit the road tomorrow and arrive in Jacksonville, Ala., to prepare for their next matchup against Jax State. The game will take place on Saturday at 12:30 PM MST in the Pete Mathews Coliseum.
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