Miner momentum too much for NMSU to handle

By Richard Reyes The Round Up

December 10, 2007

Las Cruces, NM (CSTV U-WIRE) -- Losing at home was not an option for Jareica Hughes, sophomore guard for the Texas at El Paso women's basketball team, as the Miners hosted New Mexico State in the Don Haskins Center on Saturday.

Hughes had a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists as the Miners came out on top in the Battle of I-10, 64-57.

"We didn't come out with as much intensity as we wanted to, but we just came together and said, 'This is our house and we're not about to lose here,' so that's what brought us together, and we came out a little bit stronger," Hughes said.

Hughes started slow, missing five shot attempts as the Miners trailed the Aggies during the first 14 minutes of play. At the 5:47 mark, she put her first two points on the board with a jumper, starting to build momentum for her team. She would follow that with another jumper and four free-throws to tie the game at 28.

"I hit a couple baskets, and it's a boost of confidence for me, and my teammates told me don't put my head down when I'm having a bad shooting game," Hughes said. "They told me to keep shooting and I appreciate my teammates for keeping my head up like that."

NMSU junior center Danielle Stevens answered back to retake the lead, but UTEP senior guard Kasia Krezel would hit two free-throws and a 3-pointer to put the Miners ahead for the first time in the game.

After a missed 3-pointer by NMSU junior guard Brittany Henderson, Hughes pulled down the rebound and drove to the basket for another two points.

With 10 seconds left, Hughes nearly came up with the steal, deflecting the inbound pass to NMSU guard Madison Spence. Hughes continued to pressure Spence, coming up with the steal and fastbreak lay-up to put the Miners ahead 37-30 going into the second half.

The momentum generated by Hughes sparked her team to maintain its lead and rack up its second win against the Aggies this season, accounting for the Aggies' only two losses so far.

"Once we got the lead, we just kind of backed off, and I think all the fatigue from the three previous games was catching up to us," NMSU women's basketball coach Darin Spence said. "Then the momentum swings and we just couldn't catch back up in the second half."

Hughes only scored two points in the second half, but Krezel stepped in to take the lead, shooting a nearly perfect game. Krezel made all three of her attempts from long range and three free-throws, missing only two field goals for a total of 18 points.

NMSU senior forward Anikia Jawara had a game-high 20 points and seven rebounds, while Spence contributed 13 points and seven assists.

Although the match-up was considered a rivalry game, Spence said the loss to the Miners was just a regular loss, with his focus of the season primarily on the upcoming Western Athletic Conference play in January.

The Aggies will take the week off for finals and host Wichita State in the Pan American Center at 3:05 p.m. Sunday.