ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Aztec women's basketball team (12-14, 7-7) built a 19-point first quarter lead at New Mexico (13-13, 4-9) and then held on to win 67-58 in front of 4,753 fans inside Dreamstyle Arena Wednesday evening.
Four Aztecs scored in double-digits, led by Taylor Kalmer's 17 points. The fifth-year senior also tied a career-high with six assists. Sophia Ramos had 16 points and six rebounds. Zayn Dornstauder and Téa Adams each had 10 points.
The Aztecs began the game on an 8-0 and 13-2 run. They would shoot 69 percent from the floor in the opening quarter and led by as much as 19 points and had three players score at least five points.
The Lobos made a 7-1 run to start the second quarter and a 6-0 run later in the quarter, but the Aztecs maintained their offensive efficiency. SDSU scored 44 first half points, a season-best, on 65 percent shooting and held a 14-point lead at the halftime break, their largest of the year.
The Aztecs' hot shooting cooled in the third quarter and the Lobos began the second half on a 12-3 run as their crowd started to get loud. New Mexico pulled within five points, but the Aztecs seemed to always have an answer to push their lead back to double-digits.
The Lobos made one final run closed the deficit to three points with 4:49 remaining, but they wouldn't score the rest of the game as SDSU forced the Lobos to miss their final seven shots. The Aztecs closed the game on a 6-0 run to secure the season sweep of New Mexico.
SDSU allowed just one made three-pointer on 17 attempts after giving up 13 made threes against the Lobos two weeks ago. Meanwhile, the Aztecs shot a season-high 53 percent (8-15) from three.
The Aztecs had seven players with at least five rebounds and held a 46-33 advantage on the glass.
New Mexico had three players score at least 10 points and were led by Ahlise Hurt's 13.
STAT OF THE GAME I
The Aztecs scored 44 points in the first half, a season-high and led by 14 points, their largest halftime lead.
STAT OF THE GAME II
The Lobos were 1-for-17 from three. They made 13 three-points against the Aztecs two weeks ago.
THE NOTE I
SDSU has won four straight against the Lobos and six of the last seven.
THE NOTE II
Sophia Ramos had her streak of 26 consecutive made free throws snapped in the first quarter.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs host Boise State Saturday at 1 p.m. for their annual pink game.
Aztecs Hold On to Beat New Mexico 67-58
