LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Lights-out shooting from NM State and stout defense paved the way for the women's basketball team Saturday night as the Aggies cruised to an 87-53 win over Northern Arizona in the final game of the Hotel Encanto Thanksgiving Classic.
 
The win pushed the Aggies to 6-0 on the year and also extended their home winning-streak to 17, one shy of tying the second-best record (18) set from 1992-94.
 
Senior guard Sasha Weber was also lights out for NM State, shooting her way to a new career-high of 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting. The Lacey, Wash., product was also 7-of-10 from downtown, which was also a new career-high.
 
The Aggies were focused out of the gate, gaining a 20-6 edge with 4:09 left the first quarter before taking a 20-10 lead into the second frame.
 
Freshman Brooke Salas netted her first-career 3-pointer at the 7:25 mark of the second quarter as NM State began extending its lead. Salas would end the night with a season-high 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, three of which were from downtown.
 
The Aggies finished the half with a 21-6 run and took a 47-21 advantage into the break, shooting 50-percent from the floor.
 
Northern Arizona (1-4) got as close as 20-13 in the opening minute of the second quarter when Rene Coggins nailed a 3-pointer. Coggins finished with 15 points while Alyssa Rader led the Lumberjacks with a double-double (19 points, 15 boards).
 
Emily Hardin, who was 3-of-4 from downtown, gave NM State its largest lead (82-45) with 3:24 left to play in the game before the Aggies cruised to an 87-53 victory.
 
Junior Brianna Freeman finished with her second-straight double-double, tallying 12 points with 10 boards.
 
NM State finished the night shooting 50-percent from the floor, knocking down 16-of-32 from three-point land. The Aggies also turned 18 NAU turnovers into 23 points while owning a 20-14 edge in points in the paint.
 
The Aggies will now hit the road to the McKale Center for a match-up against Arizona on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. MT.
 
POSTGAME NOTES: The last time NM State won by 30-plus points was against UT Pan American on Jan. 18 of 2003, a 77-42 affair in favor of the Aggies…The last time NM State made 10-plus 3-pointers in a game was against Chicago State last season on March 7…Weber opened the season 4-of-7 from three at North Dakota State before going 7-for-26 her next four games, she finished Saturday night shooting 7-of-10 from downtown…Hardin's three 3-pointers also tied her career-high in made 3-pointers…Jeneva Toilolo was 3-of-3 from the floor and 1-of-2 from the line for a new season-high seven points…Freeman's double-double tonight was the 12th of her career…All 14 players saw action in today's win…Brandee Walton and Takiyah Lopez also saw their first action of the 2015-16 season as Walton and Lopez each recorded a rebound…With the win, NM State is now two wins shy of tying its best start since the 1993-94 season when the Aggies started the season 8-0.