LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Utah Valley University saw its four-game winning streak and unblemished WAC record end as the Wolverines were held off, 58-52, at New Mexico State on Saturday. The result puts UVU (10-8) and the Aggies (12-6) in a tie at 4-1 atop the conference standings.
 
Alexis Cortez led the way for Utah Valley with 14 points while Madison Grange and Jordan Holland both added 12. Grange's total matched her career high while Holland had a team-high eight rebounds. Brooke Salas finished with 15 points, 18 rebounds and six assists and Gia Pack dished out eight assists to go along with 10 points for the Aggies, who had 17 assists on 19 made field goals.
 
Both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net throughout the contest. Utah Valley finished 19-for-55 (34.5 percent) and New Mexico State was 19-for-57 (33.3 percent). The Aggies had a 42-17 edge on the glass and hit 11-for-13 from the line with the Wolverines going 7-for-13 from the charity stripe.
 
Utah Valley fought through a pair of extended scoring droughts in the first half and went on a 13-3 run over a five-minute stretch at the end of the second quarter to take a 23-22 lead with 24 seconds left until halftime. Grange and Cortez hit back-to-back 3-pointers for the lead but Monique Mills would knock down a three right with four seconds to go to give NM State a 25-23 lead at the break.
 
The game was back-and-forth throughout the third, with the lead changing hands seven times. The Aggies took a 40-39 lead into the final quarter.
 
New Mexico State scored the first seven points of the fourth to take a 47-39 lead. Pack hit a 3-pointer with 3:33 remaining to give the Aggies a 52-41 lead, their biggest of the game.
 
The Wolverines tried to rally, scoring six straight to get within five, 52-47. After a pair of free throws from Salas, Holland hit a corner three with 19 seconds to go, but the Aggies would hit all six of their attempts from the line in the final minute.
 
Holland, who was Thursday's hero after her game-winner beat the buzzer at UTRGV, scored nine of her 12 points in the fourth quarter on Saturday. After 11 first-half turnovers hampered Utah Valley's offense in the opening half, the Wolverines turned it over just three times in the second half. NM State finished with 20 turnovers. 
 
The win is New Mexico State's 10th straight in the series against Utah Valley and gives the Aggies a 12-2 record all-time over the Wolverines. The two will meet again on Feb. 14 in Orem.
 
The Wolverines return home next week for a pair of home conference games. UVU hosts UMKC on Thursday at 11 a.m. MT in Lockhart Arena and Chicago State next Saturday at 3 p.m. MT in the UCCU Center.