SILVER CITY, NM — The WNMU Mustangs (0-16, 0-10 Lone Star) came up short against Sul Ross State (2-14, 1-9 Lone Star), falling 69-60 at Drag's Court despite a promising start and scoring 28 points in the paint. The Lobos took advantage of 17 points off turnovers to clinch the win.

The Mustangs started strong with a balanced attack, fueled by fast breaks and solid bench contributions. A highlight came at 6:34 when Jordan Sapien (El Paso, TX/Pebble Hills High School) assisted Natalie Magallnes for a fast-break 3-pointer, sparking momentum. Jacqueline Aguayo (Deming, NM/Deming High School) then drained back-to-back 3-pointers at 4:22 and 3:31, stretching the lead. Although the Lobos closed the gap to a single possession, Sapien's layup with 13 seconds left kept the Mustangs ahead as the first quarter ended with Western NM leading 20-17.

Western NM briefly held momentum with a four-point play by Magallnes at 8:20, pushing the lead to 24–19. However, turnovers proved costly, with the Mustangs committing seven in the quarter, allowing the Lobos to regain the lead. Despite a late jumper from Sapien at 0:34, Western NM trailed 37–32 at the half.

The Mustangs faced a tough third quarter, as the Lobos extended their lead. Tess Taylor's (Huffman, TX/Hargrave High School) 3-pointer at 5:04 was a bright spot, but turnovers continued to plague Western NM, with seven more in this quarter. Sul Ross State capitalized, maintaining control with key defensive plays, including five steals, ending the quarter ahead 56–44.

In the fourth quarter, Western NM made a push with a strong inside game. Teeya Gordon's (Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo High School) back-to-back layups at 8:24 and 7:41 chipped away at Sul Ross State's lead. Sapien added a layup at 4:51, contributing to the Mustangs' 10 points in the paint for the quarter. Despite their efforts, Western NM couldn't close the gap, with the final whistle blowing at 69-60 in favor of Sul Ross State.

Sapien led the charge with 23 points, hitting 9 of 17 from the field and adding four steals. Gordon chipped in 10 points, shooting 4 of 6, with a block and a steal. Magallnes scored nine points, with two 3-pointers and four rebounds. Taylor added seven points and a steal.

For the Lobos, Victoria Aguayo was a force with 19 points and 11 rebounds, also snagging six steals. Leslie Mojica added 14 points and four steals, along with nine rebounds. Ariana Escalante was efficient, scoring 15 points, grabbing five rebounds, and adding three steals.

The Mustangs are now 0-16 overall and 0-10 in the Lone Star conference. The Lobos improve to 2-14 overall, with a 1-9 record in conference play.

Up next, Western NM heads to Texas to face UT Dallas on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
 

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Western New Mexico University is a member of the NCAA Division II, and the Lone Star Conference (LSC). For additional information regarding Mustang Athletics, visit www.wnmumustangs.com; visit wnmu.edu for more information about Western New Mexico University. Follow the Mustangs on social media: @WNMUathletics (X, TikTok & Instagram).