Madison Spence scored 20 points and New Mexico State withstood a late Hawai'i charge for a 69-57 Western Athletic Conference women's basketball victory yesterday at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M.

Danisha Corbett added 18 points and Tyshae Walton 14 for the Aggies, who improved to 8-17 overall and 4-7 in the WAC.

Dita Liepkalne led the Rainbow Wahine (5-19, 2-9) with 16 points, shooting 7 of 13 from the field. Allie Patterson added nine points on perfect shooting — 3 for 3 from the field, and 3 for 3 from the free-throw line — and Megan Tinnin contributed seven points and nine rebounds.

Hawai'i had the edge in rebounds, 36-27, but it also committed 25 turnovers to New Mexico State's 13.

Spence's three-point play put the Aggies ahead 19-18 with 6:44 left in the half. New Mexico State, which would lead the rest of the way, took a 32-26 edge into intermission.

The Aggies slowly built their advantage to 14 points — at 53-39 — with 8:03 to play before the Rainbow Wahine made a run.

Tinnin scored five points and Patterson added four to ignite a 14-6 surge, and Jennifer Hamilton's free throw with 3:22 remaining helped Hawai'i close to 59-53.

However, Kaitlyn Soto scored six of her 11 points and Spence added four points as New Mexico State pulled away down the stretch.

Hawai'i returns for a four-game WAC homestand, starting with New Mexico State Friday at 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.