LAS CRUCES, N.M. – 48 hours removed from playing at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, NM State (7-11, 0-6 WAC) faced off against UT Arlington (6-13, 1-5 WAC) inside the confines of the Pan American Center, suffering a 66-55 loss on Saturday night.
 
NM State's offense was paced by 12 points from Chicago, Ill., native Xavier Pinson while Kyle Feit finished the night as the only other Aggie to record double-digits – finishing with 11 thanks to a trio of three-pointers.
 
As a team, the Aggies shot just 31.6% from the field, including shooting 26.7% in the second half to allow the Mavericks to climb back from being down seven points at the half. NM State shooting struggles were also evident from beyond the arc as the group combined to go 6-24 from range. NM State was also outrebounded for the third consecutive game as pulled down 35 boards compared to the Aggies' 29.
 
Offensively, three Maverick scorers tallied double digits with Chendall Weaver's 16 points pacing the team. Additionally, UT Arlington's leading scorer Shemar Wilson posted 15 points while snaring nine rebounds.
 
FIRST HALF

• Issa Muhammad controlled the opening tip, but UTA opened the scoring with a layup and the foul to make it a three-point play to claim its first lead of the game.
• Deshawndre Washington later sunk a free throw with 17:20 remaining to start an 8-0 run that drew the Aggies even with the Mavericks three minutes later.
• The Aggies and Mavericks traded buckets until Washington and Pinson scored back-to-back, putting NM State up 19-16 with 7:20 to go in the opening stanza.
• Despite going the next 6:23 without converting a field goal, NM State managed to hang around as Pinson, Washington, DaJuan Quaye Gordon and Shakiru Odunewu all earned trips to the free-throw line and combined to score eight points from the charity stripe.
• Kyle Feit took matters into his own hands during the final minute of play as he connected on back-to-back three-point attempts to assist in giving the Aggies a seven-point advantage heading into the locker room. 

 
SECOND HALF

• After ending the first half with its first halftime lead since beginning WAC play, the Aggies watched as UTA started the second half on a 9-0 run that put the Mavericks ahead 35-33 with 17:01 left in the game.
• After getting the defender to bite on the pump fake from distance, Marchelus Avery powered home a thunderous dunk to score the first points for NM State in the second half and tie the game at 35.
• Although the Aggies were able to get themselves multiple good looks, NM State was unable to find the bottom of the net much in the second half, going on a 1-13 shooting drought combined with four turnovers to fall behind 50-38 with 7:44 to go in the game.
• Xavier Pinson eventually stroked the cylinder from the right wing to make it a 52-41 ballgame. This would be his first triple of the night and first Aggie field goal in five and a half minutes.
• Each glimpse of hope for the remainder of the game was met with resistance from the Mavericks as the game never got closer than 11 points during the final five minutes of the game.

 
NUMBERS OF NOTE

• Xavier Pinson led NM State with 12 points, his 13^th game with double-digit scoring this season and the sixth time in the last seven games.
• Kyle Feit rounded scored 11 points and went 3-5 from deep to make Saturday the fourth time he has scored in double-digits this season.
• Marchelus Avery extended his streak of games with a made three-pointer to seven games after knocking one down against the Mavericks.
• NM State scored a season-low 55 points while also posting its worst field-goal percentage of the season (.316).