LAS CRUCES, N.M. – In her first season as Head Coach, Jody Adams' bunch has consistently fought to the final whistle, evident by their last eight games being decided by single-digits. Tuesday night was no different, as the NM State Women's basketball team (3-7, 0-0 WAC) fell in a tight contest against I-10 rival UTEP (7-2, 0-0 C-USA) 57-52 during their first home game in 28 days.
 
NM State struggled to find the bottom of the net, shooting 36.8% (21-57) from the field and 20% (3-15). The Aggies found themselves in a tough position from the charity stripe, getting outshot from the line by the Miners 25-7 despite making all seven attempts. Molly Kaiser led the scoring for both teams finishing with 18 points, four rebounds and three steals, while Taylor Donaldson chipped in 11 points for her third-straight game in double-digits. Ene Adams set season-highs in points (8), rebounds (6) and steals (2) in 18 minutes off the bench.
 
With Sylena Peterson unavailable for the game (illness), the Aggies went to their talented guard duo of Molly Kaiser and Taylor Donaldson early and often. Kaiser opened the scoring with an 18-foot jumper from the right elbow to give NM State a 2-0 advantage. The duo ended the opening frame with a 9-0 scoring run between the two, turning a two-point NM State deficit (12-8) into a five-point Aggie lead (17-12). In total, Kaiser and Donaldson scored thirteen of the Aggies 17 first quarter-points on a perfect 6-6 shooting from the field.
 
UTEP was a lot more efficient in the second period hitting on 50% of their shots in the quarter compared to the Aggies 38.5%. Ene Adams opened the second period with her first points of the season after battling it out with her defender in the low post, ultimately winning the matchup and scoring. Three straight makes for the Miners evened up this ball game at 19 a piece with 6:53 remaining. That when Ene Adams answered right back with another basket in the paint igniting a 10-0 run for the Aggies bringing the score 29-19 with 4:27 left in the half. UTEP went on a little run of their own outscoring the Aggies 8-2 in the final four minutes of the half, but the Aggies still carried a 31-27 lead headed into the locker rooms.
 
The Aggies were shooting an even 50% clip at the break riding Molly Kaisers 14 points performance in the half. The forward duo of Adams and Harper had eight points and eight rebounds combined at the break helping the Aggies to a +6 rebound differential headed into the second half.
 
The third quarter was a much bigger struggle for the Aggies offensively. The team only was able to convert on three of the 13 shots taken in the quarter. Ene Adams accounted for four of the Aggies six points in the period. The miners didn't have the most impressive offensive showing out of the half but were able to still hit on nearly 50% of their shots and hold Molly Kaiser and the rest of the Aggie guards scoreless. This allowed the miners to tie up the ball game at 37 a piece headed into the final ten minutes of regulation.
 
After being held scoreless in the previous quarter, Molly Kaiser found some open space from the top and hit a nice mid-range jumper to give the Aggies a two-point lead. The Miners answered by hitting three of their next four shots giving them a four points advantage with 6:44 left to play. After a pair of made free throws from Inoussa, the Miners went on a 7-0 run to extending their lead to nine with about four minutes left in the game.
 
After failing to hit a three the entire game going a combined 0-5, the Aggies finally got a triple to fall after Soufia Inoussa drained a shot from the right wing cutting the deficit to six. Taylor Donaldson later hit two three pointers bringing the Aggies back to within a possession (54-52) with a minute left to play. However, this would prove to not be enough as the Miners locked down the Aggies in the final 1:09 of play. Three makes from the line for UTEP all but sealed this one away as the Miners head back to El Paso with a 57-52 win and a two-game sweep over the Aggies this season.
 
 
Notes

• First points of Aggie career for Ene Adams started the scoring in the second quarter, growing the Aggie lead 19-12. Miners fought back to tie things up at 19 with 6:53.
• Molly Kaiser came just two points shy of her career high tonight (20) after dropping 18 in the game.
• Ene Adams scored the first points of her Aggie career in the opening seconds of the first quarter. She also came just two points shy of her career total (10) after scoring a season high eight points in the match. Adams also put in work on the glass after securing six rebounds, setting another season high for the third year forward.
• The Aggies last eight contest have all been decided by single digits. Four of those games have been within two possessions or fewer.
• Kaiser fouled out with 1:39 with the Aggies down 53-49
• Aggies hit their only three pointers in the night in the last three minutes of the game
• The Miners (25) shot 18 more free throws than the Aggies (7) tonight going 60% from the charity stripe.

 
 
Up Next
The Aggies are back on the road this week as they head to Oregon to take on Portland State Saturday at 3 p.m. (MT). After that, the Aggies are back home for another quick one game home stand against Northern NM before headed to Texas to take on UTRGV for the conference opener.