Box Score

HONOLULU - For the second straight time Hawaii found itself in an overtime tussle and for the second straight time the result was a disheartening one. New Mexico State ambushed Hawaii with a 72-69 double-overtime win Saturday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.

After winning eight straight games, the Rainbow Wahine have now lost two straight conference home games. UH now stands at 10-4 overall and 1-2 in the WAC. The Aggies, meanwhile, improved to 4-10 overall and 2-2 in WAC play.

Hawaii was looking to bounce back from a tough overtime loss to Louisiana Tech and were primed to do so as the Rainbow Wahine and Aggies sported nearly polar opposite records. But in the first meeting as conference rivals in 10 years, it was the Aggies who would pull off the upset.

Cecila Russell-Nava scored a team-high 17 points for the Aggies, include all five of her team's point in the second overtime period. Russell-Nava's 3-pointer at 2:45 in the second overtime period put New Mexico State up for good, 70-67. The Aggies, who entered the game shooting just 26 percent from long-range, were fueled to victory by 10-of-19 shooting from behind the arc, including five 3-pointers by Russell-Nava.

UH, meanwhile, couldn't find a rhythm all game long and trailed for the majority of the game. The Rainbow Wahine faced double-digit deficits in both halves and managed to comeback each time. Hawaii, however, could not overcome a dismal night from the free throw line where they missed 20 of its 42 attempts, including several critical misses at the end of regulation and the second overtime period. UH also missed 14 of its 16 field goal attempts in the two overtime periods.

Amy Sanders scored a game-high 19 points, while Brittany Grice recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Grice also added four blocks for the Rainbow Wahine, who played just their second double-overtime game in school history. UH won the only other such contest, 82-74, against Fresno State in 1991.

UH now heads to the road for its next two WAC games. The road trip starts with a meeting next Saturday against the Fresno State Bulldogs, a team currently undefeated in WAC play at 3-0. Game time is set for 4 p.m. PST.

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