A disappointing season for the San Diego State women’s basketball team ended in a fitting way Tuesday night: disappointingly.

The team, which boasted three returning starters from last year’s Sweet 16 squad, could not find its way all season. It carried into the Mountain West Conference Tournament, where sixth-seeded SDSU fell to seventh-seeded New Mexico 65-57 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

“It is what it is,” head coach Beth Burns said. “As my good friend coach (Steve) Fisher once said, ‘You know, some years are just like this.’ I looked at him and I said, ‘Yeah, but some years are just like yours and I’m looking forward to having one more like that because that seems like a lot more fun.’”

For the first time in four years, the women Aztecs won’t be a participant in the MWC Tournament Championship game. They also won’t be attending a postseason tournament, and will finish the year with a 12-17 record – a far cry from last year’s 23-11 Sweet 16 team.

Losing superstar guards Quenese Davis and Jené Morris to graduation after that season ended up hurting the Aztecs more than any opponent all year.

“I’m disappointed when we’re not successful, but I’m not surprised,” Burns said. “We will be back. Let’s not have any funerals for the Aztecs. We will be back.”