Cedar City, Utah – A contest between familiar foes brought about a thrilling midday matchup between NM State (1-6) and Southern Utah (7-1). Despite a strong opening half and an explosive third quarter, the Aggies fell by a score of 69-59.
 
Morane Dossou made the first start of her Crimson & White career, securing the opening tip to begin the contest. Her presence would continue to be felt in the opening minutes of action, dishing it out to Anna Csenyi for a triple, and keeping the next possession alive before tipping it back in for a 5-2 Aggie edge.
 
Coming into the contest with a season best of three 3-pointers as a team, an Imani Warren triple would be NM State's third in the first quarter, putting the visitors ahead 13-7 – the largest lead of the frame. A small run by the Thunderbirds would knot the game at 15 all, though Anna Csenyi's defense turned to offense, collecting the steal, and converting on the offensive end to make it a 17-15 lead for NM State through one.
 
Graduate guard Loes Rozing knocked down a paint jump shot to begin the second quarter, starting a 5-0 run that gave the Aggies a 22-15 advantage. Points were at a premium in the second stanza, with both teams combining to shoot 19.2% from the field and 1-for-8 from beyond the arc. Freshman guard Keira Hudson knocked in the lone 3-pointer of the second from either team, the fourth triple of the day for the Aggies.
 
At the break, NM State held a 25-20 lead, bolstered by a 40 percent clip (4-10) from long range, and 11 forced turnovers for a Southern Utah team that averaged 13 giveaways per game heading into Thursday afternoon.
 
Totaling 45 points in the first half between the two squads, the third quarter alone would see a combined 46 points with the Aggies and Thunderbirds both shooting above fifty percent from the field.
 
Senior guard Anna Csenyi's second 3-pointer of the afternoon began a 7-0 run for the visiting Aggies, giving the team its largest lead of the contest (32-20). However, the ensuing 90 seconds would see a barrage of 3-pointers from the home side, shrinking the lead to 32-29 with just under six minutes left in the third. The veterans would keep Southern Utah at bay, with Csenyi and senior forward Lucía Yenes pouring in 12 points in the third. Down one with the clock winding down, Yenes drove the lane, spinning to her left for a fallaway jumper that found the bottom of the net. Heading into the final stanza, the Crimson & White maintained a 46-45 lead.
 
Keira Hudson's second triple of the contest would keep the squads even at 49 apiece, though a resilient Thunderbird team would rattle off an extended 11-0 run – leaving the Aggies trailing 60-49 with four minutes to go. Imani Warren played stingy defense in the comeback bid, while also scoring eight of her 15 points in the fourth.
 
With a final score of 69-59, NM State falls to 1-6 on the season.
 
NUMBERS OF NOTE

• Morane Dossou tallied her first start as an Aggie following a strong performance at the Big Easy Classic in New Orleans, finishing with 11 rebounds, two points, one assist and an emphatic block – her first with NM State.
• As a team, the Aggies finished with six made 3-pointers, their most in a single game this season. With 59 points on the day, this is the single-game high for the Aggies against Division I competition.
• Posting 21 points in the third quarter, this became the highest scoring quarter for the Aggies this season, and the fourth quarter overall with 20 or more points in the 2025-26 season.
• For the first time against a Division I foe, the Aggies posted a higher 3-point percentage than their opponent (37.5%-30%).
• Southern Utah entered Thursday averaging over 87 points per contest, the 12^th-highest mark in the nation. Notching 69 points on the day, this became a new season low for the Thunderbirds.  
• Anna Csenyi notched a personal NM State-best 12 points on Thursday afternoon, while tying her Division-I best with two made 3-pointers. This is the second game in double-figures for the Szolnok, Hungary, native on the year, posting zero such scoring performances in 21 games last season.
• Lucía Yenes finished with 13 points, adding seven rebounds, two assists, and one block. This becomes the fifth time in seven contests that the Madrid, Spain, native has notched double-digits on the year – in 2024-25, Yenes posted 10-plus points just five times in 33 games.

 
QUOTABLES
Junior Guard Imani Warren, on the team's performance against Southern Utah: "I took a little too long to settle into the game and find my rhythm, letting my defense create opportunities on offense instead of forcing plays.
As a team, we have to keep our foot on the gas and not get comfortable when we have a lead. Closing games comes down to discipline, especially on the defensive end. We need to communicate better, stick to our personnel assignments, and stay locked in. The little things matter like rebounding, limiting turnovers, and executing our plays. If we clean those up, we put ourselves in a much better position to win."

Head Coach Jody Adams, following Thursday's matchup with the Thunderbirds: "I think we made some progress defensively today, holding a team 20 points below their average. But this team has to shed some old habits to let new and winning habits into their play.

Basketball isn't complex, but it demands discipline at every position. When we accept that we will get what we want as competitors, possession by possession, we will get what we all want as competitors.

My heart and competitive spirit are to keep teaching and holding us accountable to what winning takes."

NM State returns to action from the Beehive State on Saturday, Dec. 6, to battle with Utah Tech, another member of the Western Athletic Conference. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 MT from Burns Arena, 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).