LAS CRUCES, N.M – Coming off last week's barrage against Utah Tech, NM State is set to host UTSA on Thursday for the midway point of a three-game homestand. The Aggies are 2-0 for the first time in three seasons as they aim for their first 3-0 start to a season since 2018-19. Molly Kaiser led the way with a historical 35-point outing last week as she looks to carry her momentum into Thursday's matchup with UTSA. The Roadrunners, who most recently toppled UTRGV by a score of 74-69, took down the Crimson & White in San Antonio last year in a tightly-contested battle. 
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
Who: UTSA (1-1, 0-0 American) at NM State (2-0, 0-0 CUSA)
Where: Pan American Center – Las Cruces, N.M.
When: Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 at 5:00 PM MT
Live Stream: ESPN+
Live Statistics: StatBroadcast
All-Time Series Record: UTSA leads 6-4
Last Meeting: NM State 55 at UTSA 58 (Nov. 10, 2023)
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Aggies produced one of their best offensive performances of the Jody Adams era last week, dropping 85 points in a home contest with Utah Tech. Molly Kaiser exploded for 35 points in what was not only a career high, but the most by any Aggie since Danesia Williamson on March 12, 2014. NM State led by as many as 29 as the Pan American Center crowd was sent home with a comfortable win in the season's home opener. The Aggies prevailed by a final score of 85-63, jumping to 2-0 as they remained one of five perfect squads in Conference USA. 
 
2023 MATCHUP SUMMARY
NM State's first road trip of 2023-24 was to San Antonio, Texas, for a battle with the Roadrunners. The home team was dominant in the paint, outrebounding the visitors by 11 and notching six blocks to NM State's one. Tylie Jones did her best to keep the Aggies involved with 17 points sparked by four straight made 3-pointers. Still, Jody Adams' squad found themselves trailing by three in the final seconds. Jones' fifth attempted triple of the night would've sent the game into overtime, but the shot missed the mark, handing the Aggies a 55-58 defeat.
 
AGENT 007
Molly Kaiser is a certified legend in the history of NM State Women's Basketball. The Watauga, Texas native has spent all five seasons with the Crimson & White, making her the longest-tenured Aggie on the 2024-25 roster. Kaiser has over 1,250 career points, highlighted by her single greatest performance to date earlier this month. 
 
The 5-foot-8 guard notched 35 points on hyper-efficient shooting against Utah Tech on Nov. 7. She sank 14 of 21 field goals, three of five 3-pointers and four of five free throws en route to the highest individual output since Danesia Williamson on March 12, 2014. In addition to her offensive explosion, the Saginaw High School product raked in four steals for a career high. For the season, Kaiser ranks eighth in the nation with 25.0 points per game. 
 
FANTA-STIC
Midway through last season, NM State bolstered its frontcourt with the addition of Fanta Gassama. The now-senior went on an impressive run at the end of 2023-24, averaging 9.1 rebounds and nearly six points per game over the final eight contests of the regular season. In the CUSA Quarterfinals, the Spain native was exceptional, collecting 20 points and 17 rebounds. Gassama was perfect from the floor, sinking all eight of her field goals and going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line as the Aggies prevailed 63-58 in an upset over No. 3 seed FIU. 
 
This year, Gassama started off with a bang at UC Irvine. She paced both teams with 22 points as she hit eight of her 16 field goal attempts. Her presence was most felt down low, however, as the Mataró, Spain native hauled in 16 rebounds. Three days later against Utah Tech, Gassama tallied her second double-double of the young campaign, notching 14 points and as many rebounds. Her 15.0 rebounds per game currently rank tied for first among all of NCAA Division I Women's Basketball.
 
Gassama holds the only two double-doubles by an Aggie so far this season. With two already, she ranks tied for second in the nation in individual double-doubles. Spanning back to last year, the second-year Aggie has four double-doubles; all of which have come in the past five games.
  
VETERAN LEADERSHIP
The Aggies are led by 11 upperclassmen, including nine seniors. Molly Kaiser and Diarrah Sissoko are each in their fifth season of collegiate basketball, headlining a 15-person roster that has 50 combined seasons of experience, including 32 at NM State. Four Aggies are on at least their third season in the program: Molly Kaiser (five), Sylena Peterson (four), Sianny Sanchez-Oliver (four) and Lucía Yenes (three). 
 
INTERNATIONAL AGGIES
There are seven Aggies with international backgrounds on the 2024-25 roster. Four of those seven hail from Spain (Fanta Gassama, Noah Garcia, Marta Guilera, Lucía Yenes). Hungary (Anna Csenyi), Netherlands (Loes Rozing) and Mali (Diarrah Sissoko) are also represented on this year's squad. Four of six Aggie newcomers are form overseas, rounding out a roster that is 46.7% international. 
 
64 of the Aggies' 142 points in their first week of action came courtesy of international members. Those seven student-athletes accumulated 41 of 76 rebounds (53.9%) and 23 of 52 made field goals (44.2%). In addition to newcomer Anna Csenyi, Loes Rozing and Fanta Gassama have returned to the starting lineup in similar fashion to the regular first five at the conclusion of 2023-24.
 
GUESS WHO'S BACK… BACK AGAIN
There are two notable absences in the paint as Honorable Mention All-CUSA selection Ene Adams was joined by 6-foot-5 Femme Sikuzani Masudi as the two key departures from last year. However, nearly every rotational guard and wing will be back in action in 2024-25, with 75.66% of the 2023-24 point production still on the roster. Additionally, the returning Aggies accounted for 85.14% of all assists and 97.71% of 3-pointers made (128 of 131) a season ago.  
 
ONE LAST RIDE
This iteration of the Aggies revolves around fifth-year Aggie legend Molly Kaiser. The Watauga, Texas native exercised her extra year of eligibility that she earned from the NCAA's response to COVID-19, electing to spend her fifth and final campaign with the Crimson & White. In 2023-24, Kaiser led the Aggies in games played (31), games started (31), points (463), points per game (14.9), minutes per game (34.2), field goals made (165), free throws made (107) and free-throw percentage (86.3).
 
Last season, Kaiser drove and buried a patented elbow jumper shot to give her 1,000 career points, with every bucket coming as a member of the Crimson & White. She became the 25^th member of the 1,000-point club, and the first since Gia Pack, who played for the Aggies from 2016-2020. 
  
SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
UTSA is led by fourth-year Head Coach Karen Aston, who touts a 39-58 record in her time with the program. Last season, the Roadrunners finished 18-15 overall with a 10-8 mark in AAC play. UTSA fell to Texas A&M by four points in its season opener a week ago but answered with a win on Saturday over UTRGV. Sidney Love and Jordyn Jenkins combined for 40 of the home team's 74 points, in addition to 11 assists and nine rebounds. The Roadrunners pulled back to .500 with a 74-69 home victory. 
 
Jenkins paces the team in points (18.5), rebounds (7.5) and blocks per game (1.5). Love leads the squad in total minutes (72) and assists (12), while sitting just behind Jenkins for second in points (15.5) and rebounds (5.0) per game. 
 
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