LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Tarleton's tied-season-long three-game road trip ended on Saturday in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with the Texans losing at New Mexico State 61-43.
 
The Texans (6-9, 0-4 WAC) have lost six straight games, and the Aggies (8-8, 3-1 WAC) have won five of their last six.
 
New Mexico State won it wire-to-wire at the Pan American Center, outrebounding the Texans 34-20 and outshooting them 23-of-50 (.460) to 14-of-42 (.333).
 
Nyajah Mitchels and Mayra Caicedo led Tarleton with 10 points apiece, each shooting 3-of-6 from the field. Mitchels added six rebounds and a block in 19 minutes, while Caicedo tallied three steals and two rebounds in 38 minutes. Jenna Dick led the bench with six points on two late three-pointers.
 
The Aggies' had three score 10+ points; Molly Kaiser (13), Taylor Donaldson (11) and Shania Harper (11). Harper recorded a double-double by adding 10 rebounds.
 
It was a defensive first quarter for both teams, with the result a 10-6 frame. Neither team made a three or a free throw in the quarter, and forced nine combined turnovers. In the second quarter, both teams picked it up offensively, trading baskets for most of the way. Caicedo nailed a three-pointer with just over three minutes to go to make it a two-point game. That was the closest Tarleton would get the rest of the game. NMSU closed the second on a 7-2 spurt to lead 26-19 at halftime.
 
New Mexico State allowed just one point by Tarleton over the first six minutes of the third quarter to secure a 20-point lead, 40-20. The Aggies led 48-25 after three. Tarleton opened the fourth quarter with the first seven points to give the Texans' a chance, but the deficit proved to be insurmountable.
 
The Texans will head back to Stephenville for three straight games over the next 12 days. Tarleton is 5-1 at Wisdom Gym this season, and they'll look to make it 6-1 when they square off with UTRGV on Wednesday at 5 p.m. CT.