A Career Night for Imani Warren, But Not Enough to Save the Aggies

Imani Warren had a standout performance in what was supposed to be a pivotal game for the New Mexico State women’s basketball team. The junior guard put up a career-high 29 points, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win as the Aggies (4-9, 0-1 Conference USA) fell 67-62 to Liberty (7-5, 1-0) on Friday, January 2, at home. The loss marked the Aggies’ first game of the conference season and came despite a strong showing in the first three quarters.

NM State entered the fourth quarter with a 42-37 lead, but they were unable to maintain their momentum. The visitors from Liberty outscored the Aggies 25-20 in the final frame, ultimately taking control of the game. The Aggies struggled to hold onto their lead, especially in the closing moments.

A Critical Turnaround in the Fourth Quarter

The Aggies’ lead was only 54-51 when Liberty’s Avery Mills sparked an 11-0 run in the last three minutes of the game. Mills played a key role in this stretch, scoring eight of those 11 points, including two crucial three-pointers. This shift in momentum flipped the score to 62-54 in favor of Liberty, putting the Aggies in a difficult position.

Despite their efforts in the final seconds, the Aggies couldn’t close the gap. The game ended with a final score of 67-62, marking another tough loss for the Aggies.

Lucía Yenes Contributes, But Fouls Out at a Crucial Moment

Lucía Yenes, the Aggies’ leading scorer at 14 points per game heading into the matchup, also had a productive outing, scoring 16 points. However, her performance was cut short when she fouled out with the game tied at 54-54 and just 1:47 remaining on the clock. This moment proved to be a turning point for the Aggies, as they struggled to find open shots after that.

Coach Jody Adams believes the team’s offensive execution faltered in the final minutes. She pointed out that the Aggies had trouble finding open looks, and the lack of production outside of Warren and Yenes hurt them when Yenes was forced to the bench.

“I just thought that we could have gotten better shots, and that’s just the poise and patience of working and trusting what we’re running,” Adams said. “I thought the majority of the time, we had it in their hands. But there were a couple of open shots that our players, if it wasn’t Imani or Lucía shooting for us, those shots have got to go down for us.”

Adams also felt that the Aggies could have improved their defensive play, particularly in one-on-one matchups. Warren, on the other hand, attributed the struggles to a lack of communication between teammates.

“That’s the big part of it,” Warren said. “Us communicating to each other for screens or just being a help side. Just helping off each other. That’s our main focus.”

Looking Ahead for the Aggies

With the start of Conference USA play, the Aggies are currently at the bottom of the conference standings with a .308 winning percentage. They rank among the bottom three teams in several key categories, including points per game, points allowed per game, total rebounds per game, and free-throw percentage.

The Aggies will face Delaware (6-7, 0-1) in a home game on Sunday, January 4, at 2 p.m. Delaware is tied for third-worst in the conference in terms of winning percentage at .462. This game presents an opportunity for the Aggies to gain some momentum, especially since they haven’t beaten a Division I team in almost a month.

Coach Adams emphasized the importance of focusing on individual improvement and staying mentally strong.

“(It’s about) really staying focused on us. Really looking in the mirror each and every day,” Adams said. “Was I a great teammate today? Did I do my role? How am I getting better? So just staying focused on individual improvement, but because that’s going to help the growth of the team and us improving as we go. Every game for us is just that extra experience of being out there, and just having that calm and that poised way.”