MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – A midday affair from the Murphy Center saw NM State (6-10, 2-2 CUSA) match up with the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee (9-7, 4-0 CUSA). Offensive woes plagued the Aggies as they fell to the reigning regular-season conference champions, 88-51.
The home side scored first, though Lucía Yenes picked off a Blue Raider pass and finished in the lane for an easy basket, knotting the game at 2-2. However, an extended offensive drought saw the Aggies face a deficit of 16-3 with 4:19 in the opening stanza. Yenes would tally six first-quarter points, giving her 500 career points with the Crimson & White – the most among the 2025-26 roster. Notching seven 3-pointers, the first ten minutes ended with NM State trailing 28-9.
Anna Csenyi knocked down the lone Aggie triple of the first half in the second quarter, posting five points in the opening 20 minutes of play. Outscored 21-10 in the stanza, NM State headed to halftime trailing by a score of 49-19.
Imani Warren tallied her first points of the contest to open the Aggie scoring in the second half, her seventh 3-pointer of the season. Morane Dossou collected a steal and finished at the rim on the next possession, giving the Aggies their best scoring stretch to that point in the contest. Emma Christiano and DeAvion Wilson each collected their first points in the frame, though the Aggies trailed 71-32 heading into the fourth.
Lucía Yenes and Senoj Jones paced the Aggies in fourth-quarter scoring, with the forwards each posting 11 points on Saturday afternoon. A trio of 3-pointers in the final frame helped NM State outscore the Blue Raiders 19-17, but ultimately the Crimson & White fell by a final score of 88-51.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
· Lucía Yenes finished with 11 points, her 12th game in double figures this season. The Madrid, Spain, native added nine rebounds, a trio of steals and one block.
· Freshman Senoj Jones posted a new personal best with 11 points, chipping in five boards, one block and one steal in just 16 minutes.
· Anna Csenyi finished with seven points, notching a triple in the second quarter against MTSU, continuing her run of at least one triple in six straight games, and nine of the past 10 contests.
· Posting five made 3-pointers on the afternoon, the Aggies tallied four or more makes from long range for the fifth time in the last seven games and the seventh time overall since Dec. 1.
· Going 10-for-13 from the free-throw line as a team, this marked the second straight contest above 75% from the charity stripe.
· NM State tied a season-best with six blocks, with Imani Warren leading the way with two.
· The Aggies recorded a season low in assists, dishing out just four helpers on 18 made field goals.
· For the first time since Dec. 16, NM State failed to tally at least 10 steals (9).
QUOTABLES
Emma Christiano, on the team's performance in Murfreesboro: "We pride ourselves on team defense to keep us in close games. Against experienced and disciplined teams like MTSU, it's crucial that we find a rhythm on offense. We simply have to make shots if we want to compete at a high level. This game was a huge opportunity to learn and grow. I'm proud of the effort behind today's game and that's why this team is special, that is what we will always fall back on. I have full faith in my teammates and the coaching staff, this is just another step in our journey."
Senoj Jones, on the result in Tennessee: "Today's game was definitely a test for us. There were plenty of lessons to be learned from and to better ourselves for the next game. This team isn't a quit team, and I'm proud of us for staying in the fight. I'm thankful for amazing teammates who picked my head up on missed shots and opportunities."
Head Coach Jody Adams, on Saturday's contest: "I was impressed by their freshman, a very talented group that have the ability to play at the power four level. MTSU continues to propel itself forward with buy-in and commitment to this new era of NIL."
NM State returns next week for a pair of home contests, playing host to FIU on Thursday, Jan. 15, and conference newcomer Missouri State on Saturday, Jan. 17. Thursday's meeting is scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m. MT from the Pan American Center, streaming live on ESPN+ with 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).
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