Top seeds Tech, Denver are upset in quarterfinals

WAC TOURNAMENT NEW MEXICO STATE 65, IDAHO 49

Journal Staff and Wires

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Daniel Mullings scored 23 points to lead New Mexico State over Idaho 65-49 Thursday in the Western Athletic Conference quarterfinals.

That was a nice start for the third-seeded Aggies in their pursuit of a tournament title. And then they got some help.

	WAC men’s semifinals, Las Vegas, Nev.: NMSU vs. Texas State, 7 p.m., 101.7 FM

Immediately after the Aggies’ win, seventh-seeded Texas State stunned second-seed Denver 72-68.

Thus, the 22-10 Aggies’ next game is against the 12-21 Bobcats, and not the conference’s regular-season co-champions.

Then the Bobcats’ upset was upstaged by Texas-San Antonio, which knocked off the league’s other co-champion, Louisiana Tech, 78-67. It was the first time in WAC tourney history that a No. 9 beat a No. 1.

So, the Aggies, in pursuit of their fourth WAC tourney title, are the highest seed left.

On Thursday, Mullings was 10 of 14 from the field. Bandja Sy added 14 points and had seven rebounds. Sim Bhullar had seven points and seven rebounds. New Mexico State played without senior forward Tyrone Watson, who sustained a sprained ankle during the Aggies’ 78-60 home win last Thursday over Louisiana Tech.

New Mexico State, which won twice by a combined three points over No. 6 seeded Idaho (12-18), led only 32-28 at halftime.

Both teams finished with 26 rebounds, but New Mexico State shot 60 percent from the field to Idaho’s 40 percent. Idaho,had 16 turnovers, which the Aggies converted into 25 points.

Kyle Barone led Idaho with 19 points and five rebounds. Conor Hill had 14 points.

For Mullings, it was his ninth 20-point game of the season. He also added three steals.

No. 9 TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO 73, No. 1 LA. TECH 67: Kannon Burrage had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and Michael Hale II added 17 points for the Roadrunners (10-21), who shot 54 percent in the second half. UTSA went ahead for good, 43-41, on Hale’s layup with 14:14 to play and later led by as many as 12.

Today, the Roadrunners will face the winner of Thursday’s late game between fourth-seeded Texas-Arlington and fifth-seeded Utah State.

Kenneth Smith had 16 points for the Bulldogs (26-6), who were on the verge of rejoining the Top 25 before ending their regular season with losses to New Mexico State and Denver. Louisiana Tech now will have to hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

No. 7 TEXAS STATE 72, No. 2 DENVER 68: Joel Wright scored 32 points and had seven rebounds to lead Texas State, which led by as many as 14 in the second half. The Bobcats shot 65.7 percent from the field.

Brett Olson led Denver (21-9) with 19 points. Jalen Love had 17 and Chris Udofia added 12.

NEW MEXICO ST. 65, IDAHO 49 FG FT Reb IDAHO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS Habeeb 31 1-7 5-8 3-3 0 1 7 C Hill 34 5-11 2-2 0-2 1 2 14 McChristian 37 1-5 0-0 1-5 3 3 2 Barone 32 8-10 3-3 3-5 2 4 19 Madison 37 1-7 0-0 0-2 2 1 3 Harris Jr 6 0-1 0-0 0-2 1 1 0 Douglas 4 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Kammerer 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Faines 18 2-4 0-0 2-4 0 5 4 Totals 200 18-45 10-13 9-26 9 17 49 Percentages: FG .400, FT .769. 3-Point Goals: 3-19, .158 (C. Hill 2-7, Madison 1-5, Barone 0-1, McChristian 0-3, Habeeb 0-3). Team Rebounds: 3. Blocked Shots: 1 (McChristian). Turnovers: 16 (Faines 3, Habeeb 3, Harris Jr. 2, McChristian 2, Madison 2, Barone 2, C. Hill 2). Steals: 5 (Madison 2, Habeeb 2, McChristian). Technical Fouls: None. FG FT Reb NMSU Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS Bhullar 35 3-5 1-5 2-7 1 3 7 Sy 33 5-11 2-2 1-7 0 3 14 Ross-Miller 22 2-3 1-2 0-2 1 1 5 Mullings 37 10-14 2-5 0-3 1 1 23 Dixon 28 0-1 1-2 1-4 1 2 1 Barry 17 2-3 0-0 1-1 0 2 4 Aronis 8 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 de Rouen 18 4-6 0-0 1-1 1 2 8 Buovac 2 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 3 Totals 200 27-45 7-16 7-26 5 14 65 Percentages: FG .600, FT .438. 3-Point Goals: 4-9, .444 (Sy 2-4, Buovac 1-1, Mullings 1-2, Aronis 0-1, de Rouen 0-1). Team Rebounds: 1. Blocked Shots: 2 (Bhullar, Dixon). Turnovers: 11 (Bhullar 4, Sy 3, de Rouen 2, Ross-Miller, Buovac). Steals: 5 (Mullings 3, Bhullar, Sy). Technical Fouls: None. Idaho 28 21-49 New Mexico St. 32 33-65 A-NA.Aggies get through opener, then get help WAC men’s semifinals, Las Vegas, Nev.: NMSU vs. Texas State, 7 p.m., 101.7 FM

Today
— This article appeared on page D1 of the Albuquerque Journal