Nov. 28, 2007
Final Stats
Box Score In PDF Format 
Jareica Hughes drilled a three-pointer with one second left in regulation to force overtime, and the UTEP women's basketball team rolled in the extra period en route to a 72-66 win at New Mexico State Wednesday evening.
The Miners (3-1) trailed 63-60 after Monique Bribiescas sunk a free three with 10 seconds remaining, but Hughes would not let the Orange and Blue lose. After UTEP inbounded the ball, Natasha Lacy raced up the court and found Hughes in the corner for the most important of her game-high nine assists.
In overtime, Izabela Piekarska got things started with two of her season-high 21 points. After the Aggies split a pair of free throws to get within one, Hughes made it a three-point contest with a jumper in the lane. Kasia Krezel then essentially put the game away, knocking down a long triple to afford UTEP a 70-64 advantage with 2:06 left in overtime.
The Orange and Blue displayed plenty of character in picking up the win against the previously unbeaten Aggies, who fell to 4-1 on the season. The Miners kept their composure despite NMSU taking 29 free throws compared to just 13 for UTEP.
For the third straight game, the Miners dominated in the paint. UTEP out-scored the Aggies, 28-6 in the paint, and has now out-paced the opposition by a count of 108-34 in the paint the past three games.
"It was a game where we faced some adversity against a very good team," head coach Keitha Adams said. "I'm very proud of the team for getting the win."
Hughes was not the only standout on the night for UTEP, as Piekarska registered a double-double with a 21-point, 10-rebound effort. Krezel chipped in 13 points while Natasha Lacy contributed 12 points and seven rebounds.
Freshman Madison Spence led NMSU with 19 points. She scored only two points in the final 15:49, including overtime, as Joanna Zalesiak came off the Miners' bench to neutralize Spence.
UTEP started the game extremely well, racing out to a 9-2 lead just two-and-a half minutes into the tilt. NSMU answered by scoring nine of the next 11 points to make it 11-11 with 14:06 left in the period.
After the two teams traded buckets, the Miners went on a 25-12 run over an impressive 12 minute span to secure their largest edge of the contest (36-23) with 2:10 left in the half. NMSU closed within eight at the break (36-28), courtesy of a 5-0 spurt.
UTEP started sluggishly in the second period, and the Aggies capitalized by out-scoring the Miners 17-6 the first six minutes. The Miners quickly got things going, only to have NMSU pull ahead by five (55-50) with 9:56 left in the game.
UTEP continued to battle, but still trailed by four (62-58) with 5:01 remaining. The Miners turned up the heat defensively, though, holding the Aggies to just one point down the stretch which allowed them to climb back into the contest.
UTEP will be back in action against Arkansas Pine Bluff at 3:30 p.m. in the opening round of the Kansas State tournament on Friday.
