North Dakota State Athletics
5-4
New Mexico State
5-3
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State | 39 | 26 | 65 |
| New Mexico State | 35 | 36 | 71 |
Opportunistic New Mexico State Overcomes Deficit, Defeats North Dakota State 71-65
12/13/2009 2:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LAS CRUCES, N.M.--New Mexico State University overcame an 11-point first half deficit and hit free throws down the stretch to defeat North Dakota State University 71-65 in a women's college basketball game played Saturday, Dec. 12, before 1,169 spectators in the Pan American Center.
North Dakota State (5-4, 2-0 Summit) is scheduled to play Utah State University (3-4) at 1 p.m. (Central) Monday, Dec.14, in Logan. Utah State lost at Idaho State 56-53 on Saturday afternoon.
Jasmine Lowe, Madison Spence and Crystal Boyd combined for 30 of New Mexico State's 36 second half points to spark the host Aggies (5-3). NMSU shot 56.5 percent from the field in the second half. Lowe netted a game-high 19 points and added five assists and five rebounds.
Eight different players scored early for the Bison, who connected from shots in the paint and from the perimeter. NDSU shot 54.2 percent in the first half, but cooled down in the second and finished at 42.6 percent for the game.
North Dakota State led by 11 several times in the first half, the last coming at 36-25 when Katie Birkel hit a pair of free throws with 4:47 left. Ashley Samuelson led the Bison with 14 points, while Jill Zaruba made a career-high 8 of 10 free throws for 12 points. Abby Plucker added 10 points. Birkel had a career-high five steals.
However, the Aggies closed out the first half with a 10-3 run as NDSU didn't make a field goal in final 3:55.
The Bison were hurt by 25 turnovers that resulted in 22 points for New Mexico State. North Dakota State led 39-35 at halftime.
NDSU made only 11 of 19 free throws in the second half and 20 of 29 overall compared to 17 of 23 for the Aggies.
North Dakota State held a 36-27 rebounding edge. Plucker and Birkel each had six rebounds.
