LOGAN, Utah – Utah State women's basketball battled back both from a 13-point first-half deficit and a five-point deficit in the final minute of regulation before falling to Nevada in overtime, 72-69, on Tuesday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

Sophomore guard Elise Livingston led the Aggies with a season-high 21 points, one short of her career-high, while going 4-of-8 from 3-point range and adding three assists. Junior guard Aaliyah Gayles added 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting while senior guard/forward Jamisyn Heaton finished with 14 points plus three rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

Senior guard Karyn Sanford also finished in double figures with 10 points alongside seven rebounds and a team-high four assists. Senior forward Rachel Wilson led the team with eight rebounds while scoring six points plus two steals and a block.

Nevada threatened to run away early as a 13-4 run to begin the second quarter gave the visitors a 13-point lead at 29-16 with less than five minutes remaining in the half. In response, USU closed the half on a 17-2 run to grab the lead. A layup by sophomore forward Macie Brown and a Livingston 3-pointer kickstarted the run before back-to-back layups by senior guard Karyn Sanford, including an and-one on the second bucket, brought the Aggies back within three. 

Utah State then dominated the final minute as senior guard/forward Jamisyn Heaton blocked a fastbreak layup attempt by Nevada and followed up on the offensive end with a 3-pointer. After forcing another Wolf Pack turnover, Livingston then hit her triple of the half to give USU their first lead of the contest at 33-31 entering halftime.

The Aggies maintained momentum out of the locker rooms, using an 8-0 run capped off by a 3-pointer by Sanford to take a 45-37 lead. The Wolf Pack, however, answered back with a 15-2 stretch to regain the lead heading to the fourth quarter. Utah State fought for much of the frame to trim the deficit but did not come closer than five until back-to-back layups by junior guard Aaliyah Gayles brought USU within 63-60 with one minute remaining.

After Nevada extended their lead back to five points with a layup, Utah State began their final comeback with a Livingston 3, her fourth 3-pointer of the night. USU's comeback seemed doomed after a game-tying shot missed in the final seconds but after two missed free throws at the Nevada end, Heaton drew a foul on the rebound, calmly hitting the pair to then send the game to an extra frame.

Playing only an eight-person rotation, the Aggies were unable to keep pace in OT as a pair of Sanford FTs represented USU's only points for much of the period as Nevada again built a five-point lead in the final minute. Livingston again came through in the clutch, drawing a foul on a layup in the final seconds. After purposely missing the FT, freshman guard Aitana Rosello Lopez grabbed the offensive board but USU's game-tying opportunity came up short as Nevada sealed the 72-69 win.

Utah State finished the game shooting 36.7 percent (22-of-60) from the field, including a season-high 46.7 percent (7-of-15) mark from 3-point range, and shot 75.0 percent (18-of-24) from the FT line. Nevada finished with lines of 43.1 percent (28-of-65) overall, 18.8 percent (3-of-16) from behind the arc and 44.8 percent (13-of-29) from the charity stripe.

The Aggies also celebrated Senior Day prior to the contest with a ceremony honoring the collegiate careers of guard Marina Asensio, guard/forward Jamisyn Heaton, guard Karyn Sanford, center Sophie Sene and forward Rachel Wilson. The Aggies held advantages in points off turnovers, 17-12, and in second chance points, 9-6.

Up Next
Utah State (6-23, 2-18) prepares for the Mountain West Tournament set to begin on Saturday, March 7. The Aggies enter as the No. 11 seed and will face sixth-seeded Grand Canyon in the first round on Saturday at 8:30 pm (MT) at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Fans can follow USU women's basketball on Twitter, @USUWBasketball, on Instagram, @USUWBasketball, as well as on Facebook, at /USUWBB. Aggie fans can also follow Utah State Athletics on Twitter, @USUAthletics, on Instagram, @USUAthletics and on Facebook at /USUAthletics.
 
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