Lots of Aggie Basketball to recap since the last game I went to (1-17-26). Honestly, I probably wouldn’t bother with this except I’ve been scratching out some notes ever since. Unfortunately, after that great win over Missouri State, the Aggie Women had three road losses, each by double digits.
Versus Jax State, Lucia Yenes, Imani Warren, and Morane Dossou all scored in double digits, but lost, 57-46. A 4-point second quarter likely did them in. Against Kennesaw State, the Aggies lost, 70-55. Imani and Keira Hudson were the main scorers. The Aggies shot the ball well against UTEP, but couldn’t stop the Miners from scoring and lost, 79-69. Imani and Lucia scored over 20 points each. Keira had 12 points.
Back at home, the Aggies had a comeback win against a very good Sam Houston team, 65-57. They shot 48% and kept Sam Houston to 31%. The rest of the stats were close or in SH’s favor. Only Lucia was in double digits at 17, but nearly every player chipped in. While I was at Aggie Softball two weeks ago (2-7-26), LA Tech beat the Aggies, 77-58. Imani led with 17 points. The Aggies shot 45%, but LA Tech shot 50%.
The Aggies then lost to Delaware, 65-62. Emma Christiano hit a half court 3 to end the first half and made another 3 at the end to the game to make it close. The Aggies had 4 players in double digits with Lucia leading with 18 points. The team scored 23 points in fourth quarter, so they went down fighting. Finally, they lost to Liberty, 67-42. Imani was the only Aggie in double digits with 11.
I guess I’ll do a recap of Aggie Men’s Basketball, too. Groan. On the Aggie Coach’s Show, Coach Hooten sounds defeated or perplexed or resigned at this point. He’s down to openly asking why God is testing him like this. After their win at Delaware, they dropped four in a row. Even worse, three of those games were at home and were well attended at over 5,000 each.
Against Missouri State, they went down by 17, came back, took a brief lead, but lost, 84-75. The Aggies lost to FIU, 81-78. Against Delaware, whom they’d beaten badly earlier in the season, the Aggies lost, 73-64. There was a road loss to Kennesaw State, 76-53. The Aggies finally got a victory with a 72-63 win versus La Tech. The game was closer than the final score would indicate.
The road loss to UTEP was a crusher. The Aggies had a 14-point lead in the first half lead. The Miners kept whittling it down until they hit a 3 in the final seconds to tie it. UTEP took a 7-point lead in the overtime. The Aggies got close, but lost it, 91-88. Back at home, the Aggies played Liberty, who was still undefeated in conference. This was another heartbreaking loss, this one on a last-second shot, 77-75. There was still over 5,000 at the Pan-Am Center for the game. The Aggies are averaging 1,000 more a game than anyone else in conference, in spite of their record. While I was at Softball last weekend (2-14-26), the Aggies beat Jax State, 79-70, in a must win game.
In the pregame show, broadcaster Russ Langer was emphasizing that 7 players on the team have a 3.0 GPA. That’s when you know the team is bad. In the last interview I heard with Aggie Football Coach Sanchez, he offhandedly mentioned that NMSU was the only school in conference that spent more NIL money on their Men’s Basketball team than on their Football team. Don’t think he doesn’t know what Basketball’s record is right now and how the Football team was maybe a playmaker away from being bowl eligible last season.
That’s a long way to go to get us up-to-date for this afternoon’s Aggie Women’s Basketball game against UTEP. Originally, the Men and Women were set to have a double header of sorts, but the girls were moved up a couple of hours. I kind of have to agree with this from a revenue perspective, though I might have like to have stayed for both games like I did earlier in the season (11-11-25).
I was committed to going to the afternoon game, but uncertain about going to Aggie Baseball in the evening. I got up this morning and went out in the bright sunny morning and shivered from the cold. It warmed later, but that shock was enough to convince me to just plan on going to one game today. Also, for whatever reason (probably a long week at work), I was really rundown before I even went to Basketball. I should have taken a nap first.
I left a bit early, anticipating a big crowd for the rivalry game. When I got to the Pan-Am Center, I wondered if they’d changed times again. The parking lot was pretty deserted, but people were still going inside, so the game was on. Attendance was only 712 and that’s with a contingent of UTEP fans. Maybe they should have done the double header. Both teams are bad, but you’d think a rivalry game would still draw a crowd. The Miners brought a lot fewer visiting fans than they had at Volleyball last year, though (10-10-25).
Inside, I ran into the ever effervescent Sydney McIntosh at the courtesy table. She was handing out rally towels. She said she was just about to get her master’s degree in Marketing. I told her, with that smile of hers, she was going to do well. The grill was open, but I had lunch plans.
The Roadrunner Revue Band and the Cheerleaders were there. The Sundancers showed up a little late and had to scramble to get on court to be introduced. Pistol Pete was nowhere to be seen for this big game. Did he not get the time change or was he traumatized by last week’s encounter with the Oklahoma fans and seeking counseling? I think I saw Steve Kaplowitz doing the radio call for the Miners across the court. I wouldn’t have been able to get his AM station in the building, anyway. (I tuned in after I got out to my car. If they were doing coverage, I totally missed it.)
Mia Fox and Jacqueline Corcoran were here, both looking lovely, representing Aggie Volleyball. There were a couple of other fans of note at the sideline tables. One guy was wearing a crimson bowler hat. The sharpest dressed person in the arena was a guy in a classy short, felt cowboy hat and a crimson Aggie sports coat. These guys know where to get their merchandise.
I was once again tempted by a UTEP player, maybe? I remember pretty blonde, Katerina Zec, on their team (11-13-19). This girl was an almost total opposite with an enormous mound of dark beautiful curls. However, she was dressed in street clothes when she came in with the team. She greeted some Miner fans before the game, but then tragically disappeared. I know I’ve seen her before, but can’t remember anything about her. Was that Gaby Oliver from the Cochise College Apaches (10-26-25)?
First Quarter
I missed a couple of baskets on this scorecard. I was tired and not sharp and then I got depressed during the game. “Y’all ready for this!” apparently I wasn’t, even with the exciting musical intro complete with steam jets for the team coming on to the court. (I think the Men use them all the time. Since they had them set up, they used them for the girls, too.)
There was some strangeness before the game started. There was a delay with the referees talking to both teams. Imani hit a jumper to start the scoring for the game. Or did she? I noticed on the scoreboard that Ivane Tensaie on the Miners had 1 point. Hmmm. I remember a game once (I have no chance of finding it on the blog), where the game began with a technical foul before the tipoff. It was like the visiting team wasn’t ready to start the game on time and got charged with a foul, but I remember they actually had to shoot the basket. I didn’t notice anyone taking a shot before the game.
Regardless, Emma made a hustle play on a loose ball. She flipped it to Morane for a layup. Imani then hit a 3 and it was looking good. Portia Adams had two layups for UTEP and it was, 7-5 (with that unexplained extra point), with 5 minutes left in the quarter. Senoj Jones had a layup and Lucia was fouled and made both free throws. 11-9 Aggies with 3’ left.
During an extended break, broadcaster Adam Young and his color commentator were frantically trying to get the referees’ attention. Finally, the head ref came over and talked to them. I suspect this was about that UTEP point. From the official scoring, it was a technical foul with no explanation.
This quarter was going pretty fast. The Aggies were playing way up-tempo and shooting quick on their possessions. Anna Csenyi made a 3 to make it, 14-11 Aggies with 2’ left. Imani and Miner Mary Amaniyo got involved in a vicious tie up. Imani got the worst of it and had to come out after hitting her head on the court. She seemed to attempt to go to the wrong bench and had to be led away. A ball got tipped out-of-play and went down one of the tunnels. A ref had to go get it. Anna and Senoj combined on a block. 14-11 Aggies after 10 minutes.
Second Quarter
Tensaie made a 3 to start the quarter to tie it. Wave the Wonder Dog came in. I should have seriously considered changing seats for these basketball games to be close to him. The Aggies went scoreless for 4 minutes before Lucia made a jumper, but UTEP was now ahead, 18-16 with 6’ left in the half.
During some Miner free throws, the Band would pipe up with helpful advice, such as, “Hey, your shoe’s untied!” Anna and Imani made jumpers to tie it at 20 with 4’ left. Heaven Samayoa-Mathis took a moonshot 3 that maybe bounced off the unit and dropped in. It was that kind of game for UTEP. After a Miner turnover, Lucia found Emma on a fast break for a layup, 22-23 UTEP with 3’ left. Emma took a charge afterward. She’s small, but tough.
Pistol Pete came in, though this was the mustache-less Pete. This lends credence to the theory that he showed up late because of the game time change. However, the other Pete might still be in therapy. In play, Imani broke up a fast break under the basket and then hit a 3, 25-25 with 1’ left in the half. Aolani Woldai knocked down Emma on a loose ball. That looked like it hurt, but not enough for a flagrant foul upon review. Wave was put on camera and got a big cheer from the crowd. Mrs. Hubbard arrived. Maybe she wasn’t sure about the new start time, either. Her and Pete chatted for a moment. On court, Keira hit a 3 at the buzzer. 28-29 UTEP at the half.
Halftime
The Sundancers put on hip hop pants and performed for the halftime show. They were really good, but the music was terrible. Wave was on camera for Dance Cam, while his entourage chatted with Pete. The Cheerleaders handed out those souvenir cowboy hats. I may have to try and get one of those
Third Quarter
6’3” Miner NDack MBengue knocked down 5’3” Emma early in the quarter, but no foul was called. Portia made a 3, Heaven went coast-to-coast for a layup, and Delma Zita hit another 3, all for UTEP. In the meantime, Loes Rozing was the only one scoring for the Aggies with 3 jump shots. It was 34-47 Miners with 4’ left in the quarter.
A fan played the Matching Game and failed to match any of the 6 cards in the allotted time. This was a first. The Aggies kept falling further behind. MBengue had a steal, a layup, and made a foul shot on top of it. 34-50 Miners with 3’ left. Keira was fouled on a 3 and made all 3 foul shots. Loes made her fourth jumper of the quarter. Heaven made a last second shot tossing the ball up from under the basket and it went in. It was UTEP’s day. 42-55 Miners.
Fourth Quarter
Zita made a 3 to begin the quarter. Emma answered it with a 3, but Heaven came right back with a 3. Morane nearly got into a fight with one of the Miners under the basket. Loes was restraining Morane. The Miner player was smiling. Another loose ball went down the tunnel. I don’t think I’ve seen this before in a game and yet, I’ve seen it twice today.
Keira hit another 3, but the crowd was starting to desert. 48-62 and UTEP was already starting to celebrate with 5’ left in the game. Soon enough, Coach Adams started putting in the bench players. Loes was still on the floor and made a steal and got a layup and Keira made another 3. With under a minute left, UTEP Coach Adams took out all of the Miner starters. The UTEP fans were pretty quiet during the game, but piped up here to cheer the team. Tatiana Collazo was in for the Miners. She was kind of gorgeous. Sorry she wasn’t playing more. UTEP wins 69-58.
The Miners ran off the court howling. The dejected Aggies went around the sidelines shaking hands and getting hugs. A little bitty girl was there with an autograph poster and each of the players stopped and signed it.
UTEP shot 46%, 87% on free throws, and had 32 points in the paint. The Aggies shot 33%, 50% on 3’s, and 78% on free throws. In my recap (such as it was), I didn’t mention all of the times that the Aggies missed open shots or took a good shot that just somehow didn’t fall in. When you don’t make the easy ones, you don’t get the lucky ones. Lucia Yenes not scoring was a big problem for the Aggies. She was getting some open looks, but not making the shots.
UTEP had five players in double figures. Delma Zita led with 14 points, and NDack MBengue (too bad you can’t use proper names in Scrabble, this one would be a winner) had 13 points and 14 rebounds. Keira Hudson led the Aggies with 15 points from 3 made 3’s and going 6 for 6 on free throws. Imani Warren and Loes Rozing both had 10 points. Loes really stepped up in the third quarter, but nobody stepped up with her.
Somewhat disheartened, I went over to Chik-fil-a for a late lunch. I saw a small group of Aggie Volleyball girls there that I didn’t recognize. I guess they’re newcomers. The meal was great, at least. It was bright and sunny, but I didn’t let that fool me into going to Baseball and instead went home. I had the TV on for a couple of hours before I discovered I was missing a NASCAR race. It had started before the game, so I had assumed it was long over. They’d had some rain, I guess. Shoot.
I listened to Aggie Baseball on the radio, which they won. Annoyingly, the Aggie Men’s Basketball game against UTEP was on at the same time and finished at the same time. I only listened to bits of it. The Aggies were up 10 to start the second half, 35-25. At the end, it was a 4-point Aggie lead with 12 seconds left after Jemel Jones made a pair of free throws. The Aggies held on and won this time, 67-63. There was nearly a fight at the end of the game that was started by the coaches. Security nearly got involved. Attendance for the game was 7,600. When these two played in El Paso a couple of weeks ago, the crowd was 7,800, but El Paso is a much larger city. Later, Coach Hooten was sure that the Pan-Am crowd was well under counted.
Tomorrow, I’ll hopefully be at Aggie Baseball finally for a ***day game.***
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