(Las Cruces, NM) Grand Canyon’s second-half rally was wiped out by a New Mexico State rally that kept the Aggies in late control of their 29th consecutive home conference victory.
GCU lost 71-61 on Saturday night, when it was battling a Pan American Center crowd of 12,307 fans and a 34-18 foul disparity that was the third-largest in the NCAA in more than 3,300 Division I games this season.
New Mexico State (17-3, 7-1 WAC) did not make the most of its 41 free throws, only hitting 23 of them (56%), but kept GCU to 29.5% shooting from the field. The Lopes took most of their shots from 3-point range (32 of 61) but were more inaccurate there at 15.6% to remain winless in nine tries at New Mexico State.
Despite it all, GCU led midway through the second half because of a 14-1 run that included eight consecutive points by graduate guard Holland Woods II, who scored 19 of his team-high 23 points in the second half. Reserves Walter Ellis and Taeshon Cherry and Woods made consecutive 3s before Woods hit five consecutive free throws, off a 3-point shot foul and a technical foul on Aggies head coach Chris Jans.
The Lopes led 49-43, but the Aggies answered on the next play with a Johnny McCants alleyoop that started a 15-3 run. New Mexico State scored on 10 consecutive possessions to take their largest lead at 65-55 with three minutes remaining.
New Mexico State guards Teddy Allen and Sir’Jabari Rice each recorded double-doubles with Allen playing every minute and making 8 of 11 shots and all 12 free throws. Allen’s 28 points and 12 rebounds paired with Rice’s 18 points and 12 rebounds, as GCU was beaten 43-28 on the boards.
The Lopes navigated a flurry of foul calls against them in the first half with six GCU players picking up two fouls. New Mexico State jumped out to a 10-4 lead with Sir’Jabari Rice hitting two 3-pointers. The Aggies would have scored on their first six possessions had they not missed two free throws, a facet that kept New Mexico State from leading by more with 5-for-12 accuracy on free throws.
GCU made 9 of 10 free throws to make up for its cold shooting in the first half, when the Lopes went 2 for 12 on 3s and were outscored 18-8 in the paint. Blacksher led GCU’s first-half scoring with eight points, but he was only 2 for 8 as part of the Lopes’ 27% shooting.
Press Release courtesy of Grand Canyon University Athletics – Paul Coro
