LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's basketball team opened its questfor a fifth-straight Western Athletic Conference championship with its 15th-straight conference home win, a 76-69 decision over conference-newcomer California Baptist at the Pan American Center Thursday night.
The two sides started the game going back-and-forth with the Aggies (9-5, 1-0 WAC) holding a 9-8 advantage at the first media timeout. After California Baptist (6-7, 0-1) again pulled within one at 11-10 with 3:56 in the first, NM State finished the final 2:17 of the first with a 15-5 run. That run saw Stabresa McDaniel make two buckets while Gia Pack drilled a three at the buzzer off an Aaliyah Prince steal, giving New Mexico State a 26-15 lead at the end of one.