LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- A season-high 23 points from Madison Spence along with 21 points from Danisha Corbett paved the way for a 75-71 victory by the New Mexico State women's basketball team over Utah State at the Pan American Center on Saturday.
The senior guard tandem caught fire midway through the first half, combining for 19 straight points over 12 of the final 13 minutes of the first half, sparking a 14-0 NMSU run. A pair of threes from redshirt junior Erica Sanchez bookended the seniors' rally.
NMSU led at halftime by three, 34-31, but the second half saw multiple lead changes and ties, totaling 15 of each by game's end. Utah State built its largest lead of the game at 58-51 at the 8:34 mark of the second half, but Spence and Corbett nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the lead back down to one point just 49 seconds later.
It stayed a one-possession game until the 1:14 mark, when NMSU ended a 6-0 run consisting of four free throws from junior Tabytha Wampler and a pair of foul shots from Spence for a 72-67 lead. Utah State cut the lead to three with 24.3 seconds left, but Wampler and Spence secured the win at the free-throw line with three makes down the stretch.
NMSU shot 46.2 percent for the game, its best percentage since Nov. 27 against Northern Iowa. Utah State made good on 42.9 percent of its shots. The Aggies edged Utah State 33-31 on the glass and made 10 3-pointers, including five by Corbett and three from Spence.
The freshman duo of Jasmine Rutledge and Andrea Chenier sparked a top-notch defensive effort by NM State in the second half playing 15 and 13 minutes, respectively after the break. Rutledge scored a bucket and newcomer Ariella McGhee scored four in six minutes off the bench in the second half.
With the win, NMSU improved to 9-10 overall and 3-2 in the WAC, while Utah State dropped to 2-3 in the league and 8-10 overall..
Brown led Utah State with 19 points while sophomore guard Devyn Christensen added 13. Senior guard Alice Coddington posted 11 points and shared the team's rebound lead with five.
