LAS CRUCES, N.M. - UC Irvine women's basketball made the final push in a back-and-forth battle to defeat New Mexico State, 61-55, Tuesday evening at the Pan American Center.
 
The two teams went toe-to-toe with 13 ties and nine lead changes before the Anteaters were able to create some separation in the fourth quarter where they outscored the Aggies, 24-18.
 
After UCI (6-3) started the final period on a 9-0 run, NM State came storming back to reclaim a 51-50 edge with 2:49 remaining. The 'Eaters then dug deep as they held the home team without a field goal the rest of the way.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Freshman Shirel Nahum led UC Irvine with a game and season-high 16 points. She was 6-of-11 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 at the free throw line.
 
Senior Diaba Konate also reached double figures with 11 points to go along with three assists and two steals. Senior Nevaeh Parkinson chipped in nine points and seven rebounds, while junior Nikki Tom added nine points. Graduate transfer Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba registered seven points and a game-high nine boards.
 
The Anteaters shot 43.8% (21-48) from the field and owned a 33-30 advantage on the glass. They also held New Mexico State to a 31.1% overall clip. Molly Kaiser paced the Aggies with 15 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: New Mexico State (4-4) took an early 4-0 lead before Nahum got UC Irvine on the board with a jumper at the 8:06 mark. The Anteaters then used a 9-2 run, capped by five-straight points from Nahum, to pull ahead 11-8 with 4:50 to go. It remained close the rest of the way with the 'Eaters taking a 17-15 edge at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Aggies scored the first four points of the second period, but Sidi Baba responded with a layup to make it 19-all. It continued to be a tightly-contested affair with two lead changes and three ties over the final four minutes. Sidi Baba was able to connect on a second-chance jumper at the buzzer to put the two sides in a 28-28 deadlock at the half.
 
It was more of the same in the third frame with neither team leading by more than three. UCI went up, 37-34, following free throws from Déja Lee and Sidi Baba, but NM State scored the last three points to pull even at 37-all.
 
UC Irvine was poised to run away with it in the fourth, opening the quarter with a 9-0 rally. Lee sparked the hot start with five of her seven points during that stretch. New Mexico State would not go down quietly, however, as it outscored the Anteaters, 14-4, over the next four minutes to reclaim a 51-50 edge.
 
Lee then swiped her second steal of the game and found Sidi Baba for an and-one that put the 'Eaters on top, 53-51. The Aggies tied it up on their next possession before UCI scored six unanswered to take a 59-53 lead. The Anteaters were perfect at the line over the final 20 seconds to secure the 61-55 win.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine is off until next Saturday, Dec. 16, when it makes the short trip to Long Beach for a neutral-site game against Colorado State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.
 
NOTES
• UC Irvine has held each of its last four opponents to 60 points or less.
• The Anteaters committed more turnovers than they forced for only the second time this season.
• The 'Eaters improved to 5-0 when shooting 40% or better.
• UCI has won the battle in bench points in six consecutive outings, holding a 179-69 advantage during that stretch.
• This was the first meeting between UC Irvine and NM State since 2013.
• It was also the Anteaters' first win against the Aggies in Las Cruces since 2006.