The teams matched baskets early on as both squads opened the game on torrid shooting streaks, each making four of their first six baskets of the game in the first five-plus minutes.

The Shockers opened the biggest lead for either team with just over 10 minutes left in the half after Lexee McDonnell stole an Aggie pass at midcourt and drove all the way in for the layup, giving WSU a 20-14 lead.

A Frannie Vathauer three-pointer gave the Shockers a 23-16 lead, but three-pointers by Russell-Nava kept the Aggies close, one of which came with just over eight minutes left to cut the Shocker lead to just 23-19. Another Russell-Nava three-pointer cut the Shocker lead to 25-22, before the Shockers used a quick 4-0 run to build a 29-22 lead following a pair of Stephens free throws with 5:54 left in the half.\

A three-pointer by Hannah Spanich with 5:21 remaining and a Neal free throw closed the Aggies to within three, but the Shockers outscored NMSU 8-4 over the course of the last three minutes of the half to lead 37-30 at the break.

The Shockers shot 42.4 percent from the field in the first half while limiting the Aggies to 35.3 percent shooting from the floor. WSU recorded nine steals in the first half alone, and outrebounded the Aggies 25-18 in the first period.

New Mexico State opened the second half on an 11-4 run, capped by back-to-back baskets by Anikia Jawara, tying the game at 41-41 with 15:46 left in regulation. NMSU gained their first lead of the second half, 43-41 after a pair of Neal free throws with 15 minutes left in the second frame.

The Shockers regained a 49-48 lead with 10:58 left after Daria Frazier caught Marcy Sudbeck slashing to the basket for a layin, giving Sudbeck her sixth point of the afternoon and the Shockers the lead.

A Spanich 12-footer with 9:30 left gave the Aggies the lead again, 51-49, before a Russell-Nava three-pointer gave NMSU their largest lead of the second half, 54-49, with nine minutes left in the second.

WSU regained the lead at the 7:33 mark after a Stephens eight-footer gave the Shockers a 55-54 advantage, capping a 6-0 Wichita State run. 

Four-straight points by Monique Bribiescas regained the lead for NMSU, but Wells cut the Aggie advantage to just one at 60-59, with two free throws at the 5:20 mark of the second frame.

The Shockers took back the lead after a Stephens basket with 4:45 left, 61-60, as the teams continued to exchange the lead down the stretch. 

A Jawara free throw with two minutes left gave NMSU a 67-65 lead, but Taylor Steven answered with two free throws to tie the game 67-67 with one minute left in regulation.

Wells gave the Shockers a 68-67 lead with :20.8 remaining, but New Mexico State answered with a Bribiescas basket with 13 seconds remaining to regain the lead, 69-68. The Shockers quickly raced down the floor and Wells made 1-of-2 at the line to tie the game, 69-69 with :06.3 seconds left in regulation and Bribiescas hit a 40-footer at the buzzer to give NMSU the win.

Wells led WSU with 15 points and 13 rebounds, marking her third double-double of the season. Stephens finished with 14 points while senior McDonnell chipped in 11. 

Russell-Nava led four Aggies in double-figures with 15 points. Jawara finished with 14 points while Neal had 13 points. Bribiescas finished with 11 points, five of which came in the last minute of the game.

The Shockers will be back in action on Tues., Dec. 19 as they host the Northern Colorado Bears. Tip-off is at noon inside Charles Koch Arena.