Box Score SAN ANTONIO – Trudy Armstead's 26 points and Northwestern State's stout defense smothered New Mexico State forcing the Aggies into 20 turnovers and a poor shooting percentage Saturday afternoon to give the Lady Demons a 73-63 win in the Texas-San Antonio Holiday Classic.

The second and final game for NSU (6-5) will be on Sunday at noon against North Dakota State.  Tony Taglavore will have the radio call on 100.7 in Natchitoches, and can be heard on live on NSUDemons.com

"Anytime we can get a win while we're not in Prather Coliseum we're excited about it," said co-head coach Brooke Stoehr. "Our players stepped up for us.  

"I thought [NMSU's turnovers] were big.  We really forced some things to happen, and that is really good for us," she said.  "A few of them really helped us out today."

The game saw the second-worst shooting percentage from the Aggies (3-9) this season.  It was held to 33 percent (20-of-61) from the field; the only game lower was a 27 percent showing at Loyola Marymount.

Primarily, New Mexico State relied on 3-pointers with nine makes in 30 tries.  Of its 63 points, 41 came from behind the arc and the free-throw line.

Northwestern State forced NMSU into 20 turnovers and scored 18 from Aggie miscues.

Armstead, who had two points or less in the three games prior, scored 26 to lead the Lady Demons.  It was the seventh double-figure scoring game on the year.

She was also had nine boards and was one away from her second double-double of the year.

"We really challenged her. Credit Trudy because really responded to that," said Stoehr. "We've been on her the last couple of weeks.  We expect a fifth-year senior to go out there with great energy and great effort, and that really started on the boards tonight.

"She gave good minutes," she said. "Trudy took 18 shots and hit nine of them, and we'll take 50 percent any day."

Keisha Lee had 14 points in the game with three rebounds and three assists. Janelle Perez has six rebounds, nine points, four assists, and two steals.

Chelsea Rogers led the way in steals with three.

NSU was 25-of-61 from the field (41 percent) and 21-for-32 (66 percent) from the free-throw line.   

NMSU hit the first shot of the game on a layup from Daneisa Williamson, who led the all scorers with 28 points.  That lead was the largest the Aggies would hold the entire game.

Presley Owens answered with a jumper followed by a layup from Kourtney Pennywell after a steal by Rogers.  New Mexico State answered with a 3-pointer to give them a one-point advantage.

Lee and Rogers hit back-to-back jumpers to give NSU a three-point lead just before Brianna Freeman scored on a layup.  Freeman finished second for the Aggies with seven points and 13 rebounds.

After Freeman's layup, Perez turned the ball over that gave Moriah Mack an easy bucket to give NMSU a one point lead it again; it was the final lead it would hold.

The Lady Demons will finish the non-conference season with an even record or better for the first time since the 2009-10 season.  NSU will play for a two game advantage in the record on Sunday for the first time since 2008-09.