LAS CRUCES, N.M. – We are so back. NM State returned to action at the Pan American Center on Sunday afternoon, playing host to Cochise College in an exhibition contest. Junior guard Imani Warren paced the team in scoring, posting 14 points in just ten minutes of action. As a team, the Aggies forced the Apaches into 39 turnovers, while also holding a 25-0 edge in fast break points.
 
Aggie newcomer and Australian native Keira Hudson knocked down the first NM State triple in the opening frame off an Imani Warren steal and Lucia Yenes assist, putting the Aggies on top 7-3 early. Back-to-back fastbreak buckets grew the Crimson & White lead to 13-3, the largest of the first quarter.
 
In the second stanza, senior guard Anna Csenyi made her presence felt on both ends of the court, tallying seven points to go along with a trio of steals. Newcomer Iyana Beh chipped in seven points as well, part of a 20-point second quarter outing for NM State. At the half, the Aggies lead 38-20, thanks in large part to 23 forced turnovers – scoring 26 points on the Cochise College errors.
 
The most successful offensive outing for Jody Adams' squad came in the third quarter, as senior forward Lucía Yenes racked up nine points while pulling in four rebounds – tallying one of five NM State 3-pointers on the day. Freshman guard DeAvion Wilson pulled down a pair of steals, matching Yenes (2) and Warren (2) for the team lead in the quarter. Heading into the fourth, the Aggies lead 58-29.
 
Junior guard Nikki Stanic was one of four Aggies to score in the fourth quarter while helping the Aggies force four turnovers and hold the Apaches to 1-for-9 shooting in the final four minutes of play. As the final buzzer sounded, NM State secured the 70-35 exhibition win.
 
The Aggie defense shone in the home contest, stifling the Apaches into shooting just 26% from the field and 6% from 3-point range (1-17), while collecting 23 steals.
 
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Jody Adams, on the team's performance in the win: "I thought we did a really nice job defensively, we wanted to start hard, get up the line and get some easy baskets. We had 23 steals, which just ignites your offense and your confidence, so I was very proud of that."
 
Following the exhibition matchup, NM State begins the 2025-26 season on Tuesday, Nov. 4, as they take on the USC Lady Trojans from the Galen Center in Los Angeles, Calif. The contest will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus, with live statistics provided through SIDEARM Live Stats.

For complete coverage of NM State Women's Basketball, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateWBB), Instagram (@NMStateWBB), and like us on Facebook (NM State Women's Basketball).