-and-
NMSU’s Womens basketball team made it through the I-10 construction zone to put on a scoring display at “the Don”. The Men’s Team lost a close home game dependent on defense.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Photos: Courtesy
Offensive Onslaught Leads to Lopsided Road Win Over Miners
El PASO, Texas – The Aggies faced off with UTEP art the Don Haskins Center in the second I-10 rivalry matchup this season. Though the Miners were able to hang with NM State in the first few possessions of play, the Aggies would ultimately run away with the game to grab hold of their fifth conference victory this season, 85-60.
Following a back-and-forth battle that spanned the first three minutes of action, a Molly Kaiser fastbreak layup through contact would help kickstart an 11-5 run to give the Aggies an early seven-point lead. A three-pointer from the corner for reigning Conference USA Freshman of the Week Madi Gewirtzcapped off this stretch and served as one of three 3-pointers for the Crimson and White during the opening 10 minutes. However, UTEP would close the period on a 4-0 run to make the Aggie lead just three points entering the second quarter.
The Miners would cut the margin to one point on their first possession of the second frame before a pair of threes from sharpshooter Jaila Harding highlighted an 8-0 run for the Aggies, giving the visitors a 26-17 lead with just under eight minutes to play in the first half. Later, a mid-range jump shot for Kaiser would give the Aggies their largest lead of the first half (12). This jumper for the grad student from Watauga, Texas, would come as part of a 13-point first half.
Ultimately, Kaiser would lead the Aggies in scoring, but 29 points from her supporting cast would allow the Aggies to take a 42-29 lead into the locker room at halftime. This first-half scoring outburst was fueled by nine points from Harding, eight points from Fanta Gassama and six points from Sylena Peterson as the Aggies finished the first half shooting 60% (18-30) from the floor.
In the first half, UTEP also received a strong contribution from its star Ivane Tensaie who ended the second quarter 5-of-6 from the floor and 14 points. However, Tensaie’s teammates pitched in just 15 points.
With the Aggie lead at 11 points and 6:33 left in the third quarter, the Aggies produced their biggest scoring run of the game as six straight points from Lucia Yenes came as part of an 11-0 run. This would push the NM State advantage to 22 points with just over three minutes to play in the quarter. After out-scoring the Miners 24-14 in the second quarter, NM State would outscore its opponent 22-11 in the third quarter to push the lead to 24 points entering the final 10 minutes.
Five points from Kaiser helped the Aggies open the fourth quarter on a 9-5 run that extended the lead to 28 points which marked the largest of the afternoon. Imani Warren, Emma Dasovich, and Fanta Gassama combined for 7 rebounds in the final minutes of play to secure their lead over the Miners and take the win.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
· The Aggies’ first-half scoring total of 42 points marked the second most points they have scored in the first half against a Division I opponent this season – only scoring more in an 85-63 win over Utah Tech in the second game of the season.
· The 25-point win for the Aggies marks the largest margin of victory for either side since the 2013-14 season. This also marks the largest margin of victory for the Aggies since a 29-point win on Dec. 7, 1999. Additionally, the 25-point win is the second-largest margin in program history in El Paso – second only to a 79-50 win in 1990.
· Kaiser finished 6-for-8 at the line to add to her 30-point game against UTEP.
· Sylena went perfect 5-for-5 in attempted field goals, including her two made baskets behind the arc.
· Three separate players (Kaiser, Harding, and Peterson) scored in double-figures over the UTEP Miners.
· The Aggies held the Miners to 0% out of five attempts from the perimeter in the third quarter of the game.
UP NEXT
The Aggies will now prepare for its longest road trip of the season as they visit Liberty on Thursday, Feb. 13, before traveling to Miami to battle with FIU on Saturday, Feb. 15. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
For complete coverage of NM State Women’s Basketball, follow us on Twitter (@NMStateWBB), Instagram (@NMStateWBB) and like us on Facebook (NM State Women’s Basketball). You can also follow along with Aggie Women’s Basketball via NMStateSports.com.
Aggies Fall in Close Contest at Home
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Less than a month after taking a 85-57 victory in El Paso, the Aggies returned home in front of a crowd of 8,941 for a highly anticipated matchup with I-10 rival UTEP. In a late tense contest, NM State (12-11, 5-5 CUSA) fell to UTEP (16-7, 6-5 CUSA) by a score of 66-63.
After absorbing an opening blow from the visiting Miners that left the Aggies in a nine-point hole just seven minutes into the game, a pair of threes off the bench from Jaden Harris and Gabe Pickens helped keep the Aggies within striking distance. Eventually, NM State would apply some paint pressure to get going offensively as free throws from Emmanuel Tshimanga and Robert Carpenter bookended an 11-1 run to pull the Aggies within one with just over three minutes left in the half.
Despite the Aggies shooting, just 23% (7-30) from the floor in the opening stanza, Coach Jason Hooten‘s style of high-pressure defense forced their opponent into seven turnovers and held the Miners to a similarly poor 38.5% (10-26) from the field. The Miners would get a layup to fall during the final minute of the first half to leave the Aggies in the trail position by four points at the break.
After a first half in which Emmanuel Tshimanga more than doubled his season average, he would continue to produce early in the second as three of the Aggies’ first five points came from the Canadian to leave the score at 30-29 in favor of UTEP with 17:27 left in the half.
Needing a spell, Emmanuel Tshimanga took a seat while his substitution and younger brother, Nate Tshimanga, hammered home a two-handed dunk to end a three-plus minute drought without a field goal and keep the Aggies within two points (33-31) with 16:22 remaining. Following a 6-0 run for the Miners that increased the deficit to eight, true freshman Gabe Pickens would pull the Aggies back within five as he used every part of the rim to knock down his second 3-pointer of the night.
Nearing the midway point of the second half, the Miners extended their lead to nine when Peter Filipovity began to leave his mark on the game as he tallied an assist on a Zawdie Jackson made layup before finding the bottom of the net himself to help the Aggies cut the lead down to three points with 10:09 to play.
The Aggies would continue to struggle offensively in the second half as they were just 5-15 from the floor across the first 15 minutes of the frame. However, their ability to get to the charity stripe would keep them in the game as NM State took 17 free throws and made 12 during this stretch to remain down just a handful of points with 7:29 left on the clock.
At the 5:10 mark, Robert Carpenter would notch the sixth field goal of the second half for the Aggies to begin a five-point individual run that brought the Crimson & White within two points. A timely three from David Terrell Jr. put the Miners back up by five approaching the one-minute mark before Christian Cook responded with a 3-pointer of his own to set the score at 59-57 in favor of the Miners with 60 seconds to play.
Following a Christian Cook block that sailed out of bounds, UTEP used the second opportunity to draw up an out-of-bounds play that resulted in a dunk for Kevin Kalu that gave the Miners a four-point lead with 38 seconds left.
The Aggies would continue to convert on the offensive end, however, the Miners were able to make their free throws down the stretch to keep the Aggies at bay. Finally, UTEP missed a free throw with eight seconds left that gave the Aggies one final chance to tie the game with a last-second three. A shot at the buzzer from Christian Cook nearly dropped but hit front iron to allow the Miners to escape with a 66-63 win.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
· Emmanuel Tshimanga tallied his first double-digit scoring performance in the Crimson & White – finishing the night with 13 points and six rebounds in 22 minutes of action. Tshimanga also tallied a career day at the free-throw line – sinking 9-of-12.
· Joining Tshimanga in double-figures was Christian Cook (12 points); on the season Cook has now scored 10 or more in 19 of the Aggies’ 23 contests.
· Falling by a final score of 66-63, NM State drops to 1-4 when scoring 60-69 points this season – two in a row following the 101-69 loss to WKU on Feb. 1.
· Gabe Pickens scored a career-high in a single game (2-for-2) from the perimeter against the Miners.
· For the second time in the last three games, true freshman Jae’Coby Osborne tied his career high in boards with three.
· The Aggies’ 22 made free throws is the second most this season, only behind the game against Texas A&M Corpus Christi in which the Aggies made 26 free throws.
· The Crimson & White struggled from the field on the night, shooting a season-low 30.4% (17-56) from the floor.
For complete coverage of NM State Men’s Basketball, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of Aggie athletics – and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateMBB), Instagram (@NMStateMBB), and like us on Facebook (NMStateMBB).
