LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Going against one of the hottest teams to start the season in Division I, the Western New Mexico University women's basketball team did their best to stay close at New Mexico State University before the Aggies took the 68-39 exhibition contest Monday night.

WNMU held NMSU to their third-lowest point total in a victory this season, as the Aggies move to 11-3 on the season with the game counting for NMSU.

The defense was strong throughout for the Lady Mustangs limiting the Aggies to just 36 percent (23-64) from the field and forced 15 turnovers, turning that into 13 points.

Deandra Williams (Rosenburg, TX/Terry ) tied the game for the one and only time just over a minute in with a jumper to even the score at two. A Jade Botelho (Honolulu, HI/Iolani ) jumper a minute later had WNMU back to within two, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the game.

Botelho continued her strong opening quarter scoring the final six points in the first quarter as she added another jumper and a pair from the free throw line that brought WNMU back to within six before NMSU posted a three to take a 17-8 lead through the first 10 minutes.

My'Kale French (Racine, WI/Case ) began the second frame strong with a layup off her own defensive rebound to pull the deficit back to seven. The rest of the quarter would then be dominated by NMSU as they went on a 19-8 run to take a 36-18 lead into halftime.

Trailing by 26 midway through the third quarter, WNMU put together an 8-0 run to cut the lead back to 18 at 45-27. During the spurt Jordan Gutierrez (Albuquerque, NM/Valley ) drilled a three, Botelho added a jumper and Desiree Smith (Phoenix, AZ/Tolleson Union ) completed a three-point-play.

In the final quarter, WNMU held NMSU to 13 points and scored nine of their own.

While WNMU's defense kept NMSU at bay, the Lady Mustangs also had a tough time connecting on shots making just 14-59 (24) and made 4-21 (19) on three-pointers. The bigger Aggies dominated the glass with a 57-35 rebounding edge.

Botelho was the only Lady Mustang in double-figures going for 10 points and added four rebounds. Kenzie Rinehart (Deming, NM/Deming ) and French posted six points apiece. Williams pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.

Zaire Williams led NMSU and all-scorers with 17 points as the Aggies had three players in double-figures along with 13 from Brooke Salas and 12 from Moriah Mack.

WNMU will now return to RMAC play this Friday and Saturday against Western State Colorado University and Colorado State University-Pueblo with both games starting at 5:30 p.m.