Gillespie-Carling scores 16, BYU loses by two

PROVO -- In the second loss of the season decided by two or less points, the BYU women's basketball team (3-5) dropped a close one to New Mexico State University (6-1), 54-52, Wednesday in the Marriott Center.

Senior Mallary Gillespie-Carling led the Cougars with 16 points and six assists. Gillespie-Carling has now scored more than 10 points in six games this season in 53 in her career. Her six assists is also a season high and ties her third-highest career mark.

"It an uphill battle for us right now," said head coach Jeff Judkins. "We had many opportunities to win the game tonight, but we just couldn't pull through. I am proud of the girls. They fought hard tonight. The shots just weren't falling, but they were aggressive and didn't quit."

The Cougars jumped out quick with a basket by freshman Keilani Moeaki in the first seconds of the game. The Aggies stayed with the Cougars and followed closely until 12:30 when New Mexico State dropped a three-point shot to tie the game at eight points.

The two teams battled for the lead, with five lead changes in the first half. With a little less than six minutes left in the first half, the Cougars scored six unanswered points and took an eight point lead, the largest leading margin in the first half, at the 4:35 minute mark with a jump-shot by Moeaki.

New Mexico State tightened the game before the end of the half, tying the game 24-24 with a breakaway lay-in at the 1:20 minute mark. The Aggies took the lead with another quick two-point shot, but the Cougars responded with three seconds left. Senior Lauren Riley-Varley dropped a basket of her own tying the score 26-26 to end the half, marking the only tie at the half that BYU has had all year.

Starting the second half strong, New Mexico State scored four points and held at 26 points until 17:14 when Gillespie-Carling responded with a three-point shot. She followed-up sinking another 3 point-basket at 16:07 for the sixth tie of the game. The score was tied up one last time at 34-34 with a lay-in by junior Cassie King 14:33.

"If you look at the stats they are pretty even," said Coach Judkins. "The difference of the game was the first six minutes of the second half."

The Aggies gradually pulled away, being ahead by as much as seven points and scoring 12 of 18 total points in the last eight minutes in the game. The Cougars fought hard to close the gap coming within two with at 1:41.

With five seconds left and down by two, the Cougars looked to tie the game but were not able to seal the deal.

"We are just having a hard time pulling through on crucial plays, and we're having a hard time getting over the hump," said Coach Judkins.

The Cougars will continue home play in the Marriott Center when they face the Utah Valley Wolverines Saturday, Dec. 8, at 5 p.m.

Official Basketball Box Score
New Mexico State vs Brigham Young Univer
12-05-07 4:30 pm at MARRIOT CTR, BYU, PROVO UT
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VISITORS: New Mexico State 6-1
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
02 Neal, Sherell....... f  4-5    1-1    0-1    1  4  5   4   9  0  0  0  2  31
12 Henderson, Brittany. f  3-8    0-1    0-2    2  2  4   2   6  3  0  0  2  25
21 Jawara, Anikia...... f  4-11   0-0    3-4    1  5  6   3  11  1  2  0  1  22
24 Spence, Madison..... g  3-8    0-2    3-6    1  5  6   1   9  1  4  0  1  32
35 Walton, Tyshae...... g  1-7    0-2    0-0    0  2  2   1   2  1  2  0  0  17
04 Spanich, Hannah.....    0-3    0-3    0-0    1  3  4   3   0  4  2  0  4  19
10 Bribiescas, Monique.    1-5    1-4    0-0    0  4  4   2   3  1  2  0  0  21
13 Kmitaite-Smith, Irma    3-4    2-3    0-0    0  2  2   1   8  1  2  0  0  10
33 Denning, Carla......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  0  0  1  0   6
45 Stevens, Danielle...    3-5    0-0    0-2    1  2  3   0   6  0  0  0  0  17
   TEAM................                         4  2  6
   Totals..............   22-56   4-16   6-15  11 31 42  18  54 12 14  1 10 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-28 39.3%   2nd Half: 11-28 39.3%   Game: 39.3%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-9  22.2%   2nd Half:  2-7  28.6%   Game: 25.0%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  2-6  33.3%   2nd Half:  4-9  44.4%   Game: 40.0%    4
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HOME TEAM: Brigham Young Univer 3-5
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
32 SLADE, Shawnee...... f  0-5    0-1    3-5    7  4 11   3   3  0  2  0  0  32
45 MOEAKI, Keilani..... f  3-6    0-0    0-3    1  3  4   4   6  2  5  0  0  22
52 VARLEY, Lauren...... c  6-11   0-0    0-1    0  4  4   3  12  0  1  2  3  29
03 FOREMAN, Jazmine.... g  0-2    0-1    0-0    0  1  1   1   0  2  1  0  0  17
30 CARLING, Mallary.... g  5-18   2-11   4-6    1  4  5   2  16  6  1  1  2  38
05 CHEESMAN, Ashley....    1-2    0-0    0-0    0  2  2   0   2  0  1  0  0   8
13 JUDKINS, Jaime......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  1  0  0  0   5
22 NIELSON, Mindy......    0-5    0-2    2-4    2  0  2   1   2  1  2  0  1  29
23 WOOD, Coriann.......    2-6    0-3    1-1    1  3  4   0   5  0  1  0  0   9
54 KING, Cassie........    2-3    0-0    2-2    0  2  2   1   6  1  1  0  0  11
   TEAM................                         3  5  8
   Totals..............   19-58   2-18  12-22  15 28 43  16  52 13 15  3  6 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-26 38.5%   2nd Half:  9-32 28.1%   Game: 32.8%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  0-5   0.0%   2nd Half:  2-13 15.4%   Game: 11.1%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  6-9  66.7%   2nd Half:  6-13 46.2%   Game: 54.5%    3
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Officials: RANDY CAMPBELL, SHELLEY NAKASONE, MIKE PETTY
Technical fouls: New Mexico State-None. Brigham Young Univer-None.
Attendance: 512
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
New Mexico State..............   26   28  -   54
Brigham Young Univer..........   26   26  -   52
OFFICIAL FINAL
Points in the paint-NMSU 22,BY 22. Points off turnovers-NMSU 14,BY 10.
2nd chance points-NMSU 13,BY 10. Fast break points-NMSU 6,BY 0.
Bench points-NMSU 17,BY 15. Score tied-7 times. Lead changed-5 times.
Last FG-NMSU 2nd-04:25, BY 2nd-04:55.
Largest lead-NMSU by 7 2nd-12:37, BY by 8 1st-04:35.