ALBUQUERQUE - NM State (3-6, 0-0 WAC) lost another close game on Sunday as they fell to New Mexico (6-4, 0-0 MW) 65-64 in front of 6,000 screaming fans at The Pit. 

It was a struggle from the three-point line once again as the Aggies only made two of their 18 three-point attempts throughout the game. They went 27-64 (47%) from the field as a wholeand shot just below their free-throw average for the season (57%). Molly Kaiser, Sylena Peterson and Taylor Donaldson all broke into double-figure scoring for the second consecutive game - Kaiser led the bunch with 16 points for the game on 50% shooting.

The game was back and forth the whole way. NM State jumped on top of the Lobos with back-to-back made baskets, one by Taylor Donaldson and the other by Sylena Peterson. The Aggies took a three-point lead with just 2 minutes into the game after Fama Thiam landed a second-chance three-pointer after her first attempt was blocked by a Lobo defender

After a made free throw and a three from the Lobos, NM State trailed UNM 8-7. Molly Kaiser regained the lead after a made layup with just 5:06 left in the first quarter. Tayelin Grays would close out the quarter with a strong move in the low post, shedding two defenders, and making a smooth turnaround jumper right under the basket. The Aggies led the Lobos 19-17 after one quarter. 

UNM bounced back nicely in the second quarter hitting on nearly 70% of their shots including three makes from behind the arc. The Aggies only hit on 37.5% of their shots in the second period after ending their first quarter on a 50% clip. 

The Lobos got out to an early lead in the second after capitalizing on an Aggies turnover with a made triple from the corner. Shania Harper would help the Aggies retake the lead after a Lobo turnover gave the Aggies possession with 8:11 left in the half. Harper scored a basket with 7:04 left after three missed shots and three offensive rebounds (two by Harper) put the Aggies up 25-24.

Later in the quarter, Harper would connect on another made layup giving the Aggies a 31-28 lead with 3:39 left to play in the half. However, this would be the last bucket the Aggies would score in the half as UNM used Aggie turnovers and missed shots to go on a 12-0 run to finish the first half of play. The Lobos led the Aggies 40-39 at the break. 

The second half seemed a bit more controlled for the Aggies, at least from a defensive standpoint. After the Lobos shot 56% from the field and 50% from three in the first half, the Aggies were able to hold the Lobos to under 47% from the field and 33% from three in the second half.

Sylena Peterson narrowed the deficit back to six after back-to-back made jumpers, including one from three. The Lobos maintained this lead most of the third quarter, just until about the three-minute mark. That's when Ashlee Strawbridge drove inside for a nice finish at the basket and was followed by a Molly Kaiser transition bucket which cut the Lobo lead down to four with 2:12 left in the period. 

By the end of the quarter, UNM had jumped back out to a seven-point lead but were not safe from an NM State comeback as the Aggies continued to fight for possessions as they headed to the final quarter trailing 54-57. 

The fourth quarter got out to a slow start as only three buckets were made by either team in the first four and a half minutes of play. Fama Thiam ended the doubt with a basket on the fast break after getting a steal on the other end of the floor. The Aggies had 13 total points scored on the fast break tonight. Taylor Donaldson scored yet another fast break basket on another Lobo turnover. This cut the deficit back to one possession making the score 57-55 with just under 5 minutes to play. 

Molly Kaiser would tie the game at 57 a piece after she attacked the teeth of the defense, slipping by three defenders, and finally getting the finger roll to go with 3:50 left to play. Both teams were trading blows down the stretch, but eventually, UNM would jump out to a four-point lead with 1:33 to play. Molly Kaiser was on a mission to help her team climb out of this small hole they'd found themselves in, including hitting two huge shots in the final 30 seconds of play. The first was a pull-up from the left of the paint that she used a spin move to get the space she needed from her defender, drawing contact in the process and sending her to the line for one. She would wind up missing the free throw and getting a second chance after the Lobos failed to secure the rebound. She pulled up from the opposite key and drained a midrange jumper tying the ball game at 64 a piece. 

A couple of fouls later and the Lobos found themselves with a one-point lead with 14 seconds left to play. The Aggies had a couple of shots to take the lead in the final second but failed to connect sending the Lobos home with a 65-64 victory evening the season series 1-1. 

Notes

• NM State concludes its six-game road stretch with a 2-4 record bringing their overall record to 3-6. 
• The Aggies won the opening tip for the second consecutive game. 
• This is the seventh contest for the Aggies this season that was decided by single digits. The only two games that haven't been in single digits were the season opener at Colorado (85-55) and the home opener against NM Highlands (80-39).
• Molly Kaiser, Sylena Peterson and Taylor Donaldson combined for 40 of the Aggies' 64 points. They also were the only three to reach double figures in scoring making this the second straight game they accomplish this feature.
• Shania Harper grabbed a season-high nine rebounds coming just four shy of her career-high (13)
• The Lobos had 21 turnovers in the game. They also had 21 turnovers the last time the two teams met in November.

Next Up

The Aggies will return home for the first time in nearly a month when they get set to play UTEP this Tuesday (Dec. 13) for the second meeting between the two rivals. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. from the Pan American Center in Las Cruces.