LAWRENCE, Kan. – Aaliyah Prince scored 22 points but the New Mexico State women's basketball team dropped a 78-59 decision to Kansas inside historic Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday afternoon.
 
This was Prince's fourth 20-point game in her last five.
 
The Jayhawks (5-2, 0-1 Big 12) opened a 15-2 lead to start the game. However, the Aggie (2-5, 0-0 WAC) defense was able to lock in for the final 4:10 of the quarter and only allowed five more Jayhawk points, all from the free throw line and trailed 20-7 headed into the second quarter.
 
After KU made it a 23-9 game with 8:48 to play in the half, the Aggies went on a 13-5 run and trailed by just six points, 28-22, after a Soufia Inoussa three-pointer at the 4:29 mark. NM State kept it close for the remainder of the half and railed 38-27 through two quarters of play.
 
Then, the Jayhawks caught fire to start the second half and opened a 21-point lead, 58-37. Although, the Aggies would close the gap somewhat and trailed 62-45 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
New Mexico State continued to battle and cut the deficit to 13, 70-57, with 5:57 to play following a layup by Deja Terrell and a jumper from freshman Moly Kaiser. However, that was the closest the Aggies would get and the game finished 78-59 in favor of Kansas.
 
Prince finished with 22 points on 11-16 shooting, her fourth game shooting at least 50-percent from the field this season. The Aggies also forced 25 Jayhawk turnovers on the afternoon.
 
NM State is now set to head to Phoenix where it will open the "home" portion of its conference schedule with games against Dixie State on Friday, Jan. 8, and Saturday, Jan. 9.