by By Jaden Johnson, USU communications
LOGAN, Utah — Utah State redshirt sophomore Shyla Latone (Zuni Pueblo) went off for a career-high 33 points while tying the program record with nine 3-pointers Monday afternoon as the Aggies (4-19, 2-16 MW) fell to New Mexico (12-3, 9-3 MW), 97-65, inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
With her scoring outburst in this game, Latone became just the 11th player in program history to score 33 or more points in a single game, and the first player to do so since Funda Nakkasoglu scored 34 against Air Force on Jan. 13, 2016. Latone caught fire in the first half, making seven of her 11 attempted 3-pointers for 23 points through two quarters. The only other Aggie player to ever hit nine shots from outside in a game was Devyn Christensen, who did so against Idaho on March 15, 2013.
Utah State’s 13 3-pointers on Monday was the third-most in a single game in program history, and the most since the Aggies hit 14 against Idaho on March 15, 2013. As a team, USU finished the game shooting 34.8 percent (23-of-66) from the field, 40.6 percent (13-of-32) from 3-point range and 66.7 percent (6-of-9) at the free throw line.
Prior to the game, non-returning seniors from each school were honored as part of the team’s senior day ceremony. Utah State celebrated graduate forward Jessica Chatman, while New Mexico seniors Jaedyn De La Cerda and Antonia Anderson were honored as well. Each of them went on to have memorable games, as De La Cerda and Anderson finished with 22 and 19 points, respectively, and Chatman went off for 21 points, the fourth-most of her career, while also bringing down a team-high 11 rebounds. This was her fifth double-double this season and ninth of her career.
The Aggies got off to a great start from outside the arc, shooting 5-of-10 from 3-point range in the first quarter to lead 21-17 through 10 minutes of action. New Mexico responded with a 31-point second quarter, and never let up. The Lobos finished the game shooting 54.7 percent (35-of-64) from the field, 48.3 percent (14-of-29) from 3-point range and 76.5 percent (13-of-17) at the charity stripe.
New Mexico was led for the second-straight game in this series by junior guard LaTascya Duff, who finished the game with 25 points while shooting 6-of-7 from outside the arc.
