SAN ANGELO, TX — Western New Mexico (0-20, 0-14 Lone Star) faced a tough challenge against Angelo State, falling 79-47 at the Junell Center/Stephens Arena. Angelo State took advantage of the Mustangs' 21 turnovers, converting them into 26 points.

The Mustangs showed promise early on, establishing a strong inside game with 8 points in the paint and applying defensive pressure, spearheaded by Jordan Sapien (El Paso, TX/Pebble Hills High School). Although they fell behind initially, a crucial 3-pointer from Tess Taylor (Huffman, TX/Hargrave High School) at 5:09 brought them closer, narrowing the score to 10-5. Sapien's layup at 1:17 brought Western NM within a point, but the quarter ended with Angelo State ahead 17-14.

In the second quarter, the Mustangs struggled to find their rhythm. Sapien provided some energy with a fast-break layup and a late three-pointer, assisted by Cieara Dinwiddie (Porter, TX/Porter High School), but possession issues led to six turnovers. Angelo State capitalized on these mistakes, widening their lead to 43–23 by halftime.

The third quarter saw Western New Mexico attempt a rally with Taylor's layup and free throw, followed by a jumper from Brelee Nichols (Huffman, TX/Hargrave High School), assisted by Sapien, cutting the score to 28-43. Despite Nichols' defensive efforts, Angelo State's offense, highlighted by a fast-break 3-pointer from Taylor Grona, kept them in control.

Contributions from Teeya Gordon (Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo High School) and Nadia Randall (Albuquerque, NM/Sandia High School) in the paint couldn't prevent Angelo State from extending their lead, particularly after a late 3-pointer by Dragana Scepanovic. The Mustangs ended the third quarter trailing 65-34.

Entering the fourth quarter, Taylor's free throws and three-pointer provided a spark, but continued turnovers hampered any momentum. Nichols added a layup, assisted by Taylor, but the Mustangs couldn't sustain a comeback. Gordon remained active under the basket, but Angelo State maintained their dominance, closing the game with a 79–47 victory.

Sapien led Western NM with 15 points and six steals. Taylor contributed 13 points, making all five of her free throws. Nichols added two blocks on defense. Gordon scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds.

For Angelo State, Grona led with 17 points and seven assists, while Majik Esquivel added 16 points with efficient shooting. Landry Morrow pulled down 11 rebounds and added four assists, and Keniah Williams chipped in 10 points.

Western New Mexico remains at 0-20 overall and 0-14 in Lone Star play, while Angelo State moves to 10-9 overall and 8-5 in conference action.

Next up, the Mustangs head to Odessa, Texas, to take on Texas Permian Basin on Saturday, Feb. 7, with tip-off at 12 p.m. at Falcon Dome.
 

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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).