-and-
NM State’s early statement held off the Panthers.
Source: NMSU Athletics
By Louis Bolander
Photo: Courtesy
MIAMI, Fl. – The Aggies went head to head with FIU for the second time this season as battled in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on the Saturday of February 15. An early run at the start would give the Aggies enough momentum to pace the Panthers and take the win, 65-55.
In the first quarter, Sianny Sanchez-Oliver would score the first bucket for the Aggies at the 9:16 mark after a back-door cut to give an open lane for a layup. About a minute later, Molly Kaisersank in a shot from long range followed by a pair of free throws to give the team a comfortable margin of 7-3. Jaila Hardingthen scored three consecutive field goals within a two-minute stretch, tallying eight points to push the Aggies’ lead to 17-5 at 4:11 on the clock. The Panthers answered back shortly after, however, the Aggies would maintain a 21-11 lead to end the first period.
The Aggies began the following quarter on a dryspell for the first two minutes of play before Madi Gewirtz flushed her first bucket from the perimeter. The Panthers followed up with a short 4-0 run to put themselves back within single digits. Once again, the Aggies continued to hit their stride as three separate players scored a field goal to put NM State back in their groove. Yet, FIU was not quite ready to hang it up and finished out the half on a 8-0 run to cut the matchup to a six-point game. Peterson would close the quarter with the final bucket with 41 seconds left, giving the Aggies a 33-25 lead.
FIU was able to bring it back to a five-point game after Pitts knocked in a layup and a free throw at the start of the third quarter for the Panthers. The Panthers went on yet another 8-0 run after a Loes Rozing 3-pointer to keep them in the hunt. Both teams went back and forth after this, and the Aggies would eventually close out the third quarter up by ten points.
The final period of play was dead even from both squads, and the Aggies closed out the match with a ten-point victory.
NUMBERS OF NOTE:
-Three separate Aggies scored in double figures this afternoon against the Panthers.
-Two Aggies shot completely perfect at the stripe (Kaiser, 4-4 ; Gewirtz, 2-2).
–Madi Gewirtz picked up her career high in rebounds, cleaning the glass seven separate times (three offensive and four defensive).
-Both Loes Rozing (3-for-6) and Jaila Harding (4-for-8) finished out the game shooting 50%.
-For the second time this season, the Aggies failed to shoot completely perfect at the line by just one free throw.
-The Aggies set a new season record with 14 steals in a single game.
UP NEXT:
The Aggies will head back to Las Cruces and host their next matchup against Jax State in the Pan American Center at 6:00 pm MST on Thursday. They will look to maintain the fourth spot in the conference standings after LA Tech’s loss to Jax State earlier today.
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