Utah State basketball: Aggies open WAC play with NMSU loss

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Utah State's quest for a third consecutive WAC championship got off to a rough start Saturday night as the Aggies fell behind early and couldn't quite erase an 11-point New Mexico State lead late in the second half before falling 55-52 at Pan American Center.

USU had 15 turnovers and struggled shooting jump shots — making only 3 of 13 shots from beyond the 3-point line.

The loss drops Utah State to 10-5 overall, snapping a four game win streak, and gives the Aggies a 0-1 mark in the WAC.

NMSU won its fifth in a row and improves to 8-6 and 1-0.

Tai Wesley led USU with 14 points and nine rebounds while Tyler Newbold added 12 points. No other Aggie scored more than four points, however, and with the team shooting just five free throws — making three — Utah State couldn't overcome NMSU's second-half advantage.

New Mexico State took a 53-42 lead with 6:52 to play and USU appeared out of it. But an Aggie defensive stand and offensive run made the game close down the stretch as NMSU did not score a point for more than six minutes.

Pooh Williams knocked down a 3-pointer with 45 seconds to play to cap a 10-0 Aggies run and bring the score to 53-52

But NMSU's Jonathan Gibson answered with a floater in the lane with 17 seconds to play to ice the game.

Williams was pressured on a 3-point try with two seconds to play and missed on what would have been an overtime-forcing basket.

Eight first-half turnovers by Utah State allowed NMSU to take a 27-24 lead at the half.

USU was paced by Wesley's eight points at the break, but with the Ags making only one 3-pointer and not going to the free throw line like they usually do, NMSU keep the Aggies at bay.

NMSU was paced by Gibson's 19 points while Wendell McKines added 10.

Utah State's WAC opening road trip continues Monday at 13-2 Louisiana Tech with a 6 p.m. tipoff.