The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team ended its regular season in heartbreaking fashion, blowing a 19-point lead to New Mexico State to fall, 59-58, last night at Stan Sheriff Center.

Tara Hittle led the Rainbow Wahine with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Amy Kotani added 11 points and fellow senior Saundra Cariaga chipped in 10 points and five assists.

Anikia Jawara led the Aggies with 20 points and five rebounds. Danisha Corbett added 10 points, including the winning basket with 10 seconds left.

The loss spoiled the final home game for the Rainbows' five departing seniors: Kotani, Cariaga, Tanya Smith, Iwona Zagrobelna and Shannon Nishi.

Zagrobelna (dislocated kneecap, strained MCL) and Nishi (torn ACL) did not play.

The Rainbows end the regular season at 12-17 overall, 6-9 in the Western Athletic Conference.

The Rainbows will face No. 3 seed NMSU again in the first round of the WAC Tournament on Wednesday in Las Cruces, N.M. They were assured the No. 6 seed by virtue of Idaho's win over Utah State earlier yesterday.

"It was very disappointing," said UH head coach Jim Bolla. "We had the game under control, but then we only scored one bucket in nine minutes, turned the ball over and missed free throws down the stretch. That said, we showed we can play with them. We'll play them again next week. It's at their place, but so what? I'm not happy with the outcome, but we'll take this as a positive."

After a rousing ovation by the turnstile crowd of 764, the Rainbows grabbed control of the game with deft outside shooting by Kotani and a dominant paint performance by Smith and Hittle, who smothered the Aggies' efforts inside and keyed the fast break with rebounds and quick outlets. Smith, who ranks second in the nation in rebounding with an 11.9 average, scored just four points but had nine rebounds at the half.

"I was fired up," said Kotani, who scored eight of the Rainbows' first 18 points. "I knew this was our last chance, our last time playing together (at home). We should have had them."

The Rainbows led 38-24 at halftime.

Hawai'i's turnover woes resurfaced early in the second half; the team gave up the ball nine times in the first 10 minutes. The turnovers were compounded by a series of defensive lapses that allowed NMSU to slowly chip away.

Monique Bribescas found Hannah Spanich unguarded under the basket for an easy layup on an inbounds play, part of a 13-0 run that cut the Rainbow advantage to 44-41.

Minutes later, Jawara's layup off another unguarded inbounds play brought the Aggies to 45-44.

Smith and Keisha Kanekoa spent much of the second half on the bench.

"I think (Smith) was getting really frustrated with all of the bumping," Bolla said. "I told her she has to get used to the fact that she has a target on her back."

Smith admitted that sitting out "messed with me mentally."

Bolla said he limited Kanekoa's minutes because of repeated turnovers coming off of set screen plays.

"She's young and she's doing a great job for a freshman," Bolla said.

Kotani hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with 2:05 left to give UH a six-point cushion. Madison Spence then hit a quick jumper to cut the deficit to 58-54.

Kotani was fouled with 51 seconds left but missed a pair of free throws. On the ensuing possession, Madison Spence hit a 3-pointer to make it 58-57.

"I felt we still had it," Kotani said. "We just had to keep going."

NMSU quickly fouled Megan Tinnin, who also missed two free throws.

Corbett capitalized on the other end, converting a layup to give the Aggies their first lead, 59-58, with 10 seconds left.

On the final sideline play, Cariaga missed on a pull-up jumper and UH was unable to come up with the loose ball as time expired.

"We just took what they gave us but we couldn't capitalize," Cariaga said.

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.