Moraga, Calif. – A third and final trip to the Golden State also signaled the end of the road nonconference slate, as NM State (3-8) battled to the finish in a 70-59 loss to Saint Mary's (9-4). A balanced scoring punch (three in double figures) and the first double-double of Morane Dossou's NM State career were unable to overcome 27 turnovers and a 4-for-11 mark from the charity stripe.
 
After securing the opening tip, the Aggies quickly found Lucía Yenes for a layup to give the visitors a quick 2-0 edge. A second basket by Yenes and an additional score by Loes Rozing gave NM State a 7-0 lead, forcing a Saint Mary's timeout just 54 seconds into play.
 
The Gaels would snap the Crimson & White scoring streak, but junior forward Morane Dossou put on a performance early, tallying five points to keep the score in favor of the Aggies (14-6, their largest lead of the contest). An extended offensive drought saw the game tied 14-14 at the end of the first.
 
Saint Mary's would score first in the second quarter, though Loes Rozing would add her second 3-pointer of the contest to keep the Aggies within one (18-17). Anna Csenyi would notch a triple of her own following Morane Dossou's fourth first-half assist of the afternoon, but an 11-3 run through the middle of the stanza saw the Gaels pull ahead 30-22 with 1:13 left in the half. Layups by Dossou and Imani Warren offset a Gaels triple, sending the game to break with a score of 33-26.
 
Through the opening 20 minutes, the Aggies held the advantage in fast break points (6-0) while shooting 55% from the field, though trailed in second chance points (4-0) and bench scoring (16-0). NM State also coughed up the ball 17 times in the opening half, leading to 20 Gaels' points. Over the previous three contests, the Crimson & White averaged just over 18 turnovers per game.
 
Senior guard Anna Csenyi broke the seal on second-half scoring, dropping in her second shot from beyond the arc. Later in the frame, Aggie post players found success in the paint, chipping away at the Saint Mary's lead to make it 42-39 with 3:25 in the third. Senoj Jones' bucket with 2:21 left to go represented the first points off the bench for NM State on Saturday afternoon. Free throws down the stretch saw the Gaels take a 50-41 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Aggies' first points in the fourth came from Loes Rozing's third 3-pointer, a new career-high for the guard from Heiloo, Netherlands. This would be the closest the visitors would get in the frame, falling by a final score of 70-59.
 
NUMBERS OF NOTE

• Morane Dossou had a career night for the Aggies, affecting the floor in a variety of ways, finishing with 15 points and 17 rebounds – both bests since joining NM State this season.
• 17 caroms is the most in a single game for an Aggie since Fanta Gassama pulled in 17 og her own against FIU in the opening round of the 2024 CUSA Championships on March 14, 2024.
• The junior forward would also finish with a career-best six assists, tied for the most in a single game this season for NM State.
• Imani Warren finished with 16 points, leading the team in scoring for the third time this season.
• Loes Rozing tallied a trio of 3-pointers on Saturday afternoon, a new career best for the team captain, part of an 11-point performance.
• The Aggies finished with a new season high in shooting from the field (54.3%), while 25 made baskets represent the most against Division I competition on the year.
• Of NM State's 59 points, all but three came from the starting five.

 
QUOTABLES
Senior Guard Loes Rozing, on the loss: "I thought we started the game aggressively and forced them to take a timeout early on, but after we got punched back we didn't really have an answer. We struggled with turnovers again, which we really need to clean up. We should've rebounded better as a collective. We can't just rely on Mo[rane Dossou] to rebound – who did a phenomenal job today on both ends of the floor."

Junior Forward Morane Dossou, on the overall performance on Saturday: "On my end, it was about executing my role, bringing energy, and doing my job. I'm proud of how we fought, but we didn't get the result we wanted. We must continue to work on cleaning up the extracurriculars. We'll keep growing as a team and be better."

Head Coach Jody Adams, on the performance against Saint Mary's: "This team's overall growth has been really encouraging, and our starters had an excellent beginning, with Loes [Rozing] and Mo showing great promise.

But the bench unit must improve its play when called upon. We consistently run live game simulations in practice, ensuring everyone gains experience, so it is now time to synchronize our efforts and execute effectively in games. We need four to five additional players to step up and close the performance gaps we experience in certain quarters.

We shared this with our team today: 'A winning attitude is an equal opportunity factor for everyone; cultivating this mindset wherever we are makes the most significant impact.'"

The Aggies will enjoy an extended break over the holidays before returning home for one last tune-up before conference play. NM State will host Eastern New Mexico on Monday, Dec. 29, in a game that will also serve as senior night for the Aggies' three seniors. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. in Las Cruces, with the game streaming live on ESPN+ and live stats available at nmstatesports.com/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).