LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Sacramento State held New Mexico State to just one made field goal over the last seven minutes and 45 seconds of the game but went cold offensively as well and the Aggies were able to hang on for an 80-77 win on Thursday night in Las Cruces.

In a tied game with less than seven minutes to play Sacramento State (1-1) made just one of its next 15 shots before hitting a three at the buzzer. New Mexico State (3-0), the defending WAC Champion, won its 14th consecutive game on its home floor. The Aggies also avenged a 93-85 loss to the Hornets in The Nest last season.

Hornet senior Adella Randle-El scored a game high 19 points with six rebounds and three steals. She hit a long 3-pointer at the buzzer after the Aggies went ahead by six points in the final seconds. The Hornets had made just one field goal over the previous seven minutes, also a layup scored by Randle-El.

Both teams went cold after the game was tied 71-71 with 6:47 remaining in the fourth quarter. More than two minutes passed before either team scored again, and it was nearly a three and a half minute drought without a made field goal before an Aggie layup with 3:28 on the clock.

That was the only field goal New Mexico State would score over the last 7:45 of the game, but the Aggies shot 5-for-6 from the free throw line in the final minute to secure the win.

Free throw shooting was a story throughout the game as New Mexico State got to the line 26 times while the Hornets shot just 12 free throws. The Aggies outscored the Hornets 21-6 at the free throw line as Sacramento State was whistled for 30 fouls and New Mexico State 15.

Randle-El led the Hornets with three made 3-pointers and shot 8-of-20 from the field overall. Junior Kyhonta Doughty pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds and scored five points while junior Margaret Huntington had eight points and six rebounds.

New Mexico State jumped to an early 12-2 lead before the Hornets outscored the Aggies 22-4 over the next seven minutes, fueled by three straight made 3-pointers, to take a 24-16 lead late in the first quarter. The Hornets took a game-high nine point lead and led 45-36 with 1:54 left in the second quarter but the Aggies ended the half on a 9-0 run to level the game at 45-45 at halftime.

The Aggies also scored the first five points of the second half to extend to a 14-0 run. The home team went back up by as many as nine points but led by just three heading to the fourth quarter. Down six with 9:53 remaining the Hornets scored the next six points to draw even at 71-71 but never regained the lead.

The Hornets shot 34% (31-of-90) from the field and 9-of-37 from 3-point range. For the second consecutive game Sacramento State came out on top of the rebounding battle, 55-52, and had 23 offensive rebounds but only outscored the Aggies 15-14 in second chance points.

Sacramento State forced 31 turnovers with 15 steals but uncharacteristically turned the ball over 27 times themselves. Of the 14 Hornets who played on Thursday 13 of them scored with 11 making at least one field goal. New Mexico State went just eight deep and had four players score in double-figures with double-doubles from Brianna Freeman and Tamera William.

The Hornets conclude their road trip Saturday at noon Pacific time at New Mexico. The Lobos are also 1-1 and also lost at New Mexico State, 78-59, on Tuesday.