New Mexico State 84, Grand Canyon 62
PHOENIX –(NMSU Media Relations) Senior guard Kevin Aronis scored a career-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting to lead the New Mexico State men’s basketball team to an 84-62 win over Grand Canyon University in GCU Arena, Saturday, Jan. 4.
Aronis tied a career-high with six 3-pointers made as he went 6-of-8 from the behind the 3-point line. The Aggies as a team shot 47.4 percent from behind the arc hitting 9-of-19. Junior guard Daniel Mullings added 15 points, while junior guard marked his second double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
“Nephawe did a fantastic job on the defensive end tonight and it was great to get quality possessions while we had the lead,” said head coach Marvin Menzies. “The team was really excellent and they came out ready to play especially with this being our first WAC road game.”
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Utah Valley 82, Bakersfield 74
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. –(UVU Media Relations) Utah Valley University picked up a big road win in its first-ever Western Athletic Conference game, 82-74, over Bakersfield on Saturday at Rabobank Arena. Ben Aird matched a career-high with 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Zach Nelson set a new high with 22 points to go along with 11 boards.
The Wolverines (7-7, 1-0) shot 64.3 percent in the second half in out-scoring the Roadrunners (7-8, 0-1) 52-40 after the break. Holton Hunsaker scored 12 points and dished out seven assists and Mitch Bruneel added 11 points. Nelson’s stat line also included six assists and three blocks.
“This was obviously a big game for us, a big game for Utah Valley University, and to all those that helped us get into the WAC,” said head coach Dick Hunsaker. “For our kids to come out and play as they did, with the presence of mind they did, was great.”
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Kansas City 95, Seattle U 84
SEATTLE-(UMKC Media Relations) UMKC moved to 2-0 to start league play for the first time since 2007, and 2-0 on the road to start conference action for the first time since 2005 on Saturday night, out-scoring Seattle University 95-84.
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Chicago State 57, Idaho 55
MOSCOW, Idaho –(CSU Media Relations) Senior Matt Ross (Dixon, Ill./Dixon)' put back basket with 3.2 seconds remaining lifted Chicago State to a 57-55 victory over Idaho on Saturday (Jan. 4) evening at the Cowan Spectrum. The win gives the Cougars their first Western Athletic Conference in program history.
"We told the guys in the huddle to hit the boards in that final possession and that's just what Matt did," Chicago State head coach Tracy Dildy said. "This is a big win for us. We knew Idaho was going to make a run but the guys didn't panic in the final minute."
Idaho's only lead of the game came on the first basket of the game at 2-0. Senior Quinton Pippen (Hamburg, Ark./Hamburg) drained a deep 3-pointer from the top of the arc at the buzzer of the first half to put the Cougars up 38-28 at the break. Chicago State scored the first four points of the second half, including two on a turn around jumper by Pippen, to build a 14-point lead.
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Texas A&M 63, Texas-Pan American 46
COLLEGE STATION –(UTPA Media Relations) The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs men's basketball team played the Texas A&M University Aggies tight, but the Aggies closed the game on a 17-3 run to beat the Broncs 63-46 on Saturday at Reed Arena.
Senior Justin Leathers led the Broncs (4-12) with 13 points while hitting a career-high four three-pointers and grabbing a team-high tying seven rebounds. He also had a career-high and team-high three steals. Sophomore Shaquille Hines also reached double-figures, scoring 10 points with seven rebounds.
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