LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The New Mexico State women's basketball team earned a hard-fought 67-61 victory over Alcorn State at the Pan American Center on Friday night in the first round of the Aggie Hotel Encanto Thanksgiving Classic.
The Aggies led by as many as 20 in the first half, but Alcorn State used a 17-6 run in the middle of the second half to close the gap to 47-45. The Braves would tie the score twice at 55 and 58, but the Aggies closed out the game on a 9-3 run.
Senior point guard Madison Spence did not dress for the Aggies Friday as junior Kaitlyn Soto made her first start of the season. Senior guard Danisha Corbett led all scorers in the game with 20 points. Senior Jasmine Lowe added 17 points, and junior forward Tabytha Wampler claimed her fourth career double-double and second of the young season with 10 points and 15 boards.
Alcorn State out-rebounded New Mexico State 54-38 and had a commanding 26-3 lead in second-chance points. The Aggies shot 34 percent from the field and held Alcorn State to 31 percent.
"It was a good game tonight," said head coach Darin Spence. "We obviously have to grow up a bit and have to play a lot better in the second half of our games. We didn't have our floor leader tonight, and this is our first test without (Madison Spence). All in all our kids needed a test like that, and they got one tonight."
With the win, New Mexico State improves to 4-2, while Alcorn State falls to 0-4. The Aggies face Northern Iowa (3-1) in the Classic final Saturday night at 6:30 p.m.
