Friday, March 6, 2020

NM State Aggies Men’s and Women’s Basketball 2-13 to 3-5-20


This recap is not timely and a bit out-of-place, but I wanted to go ahead and list the final regular season games in March with this.

2-13-20
WBB Aggies @ Seattle U Redhawks
The Men’s and Women’s games were both on video at the same time.  Unfortunately, I was pretty busy at work and not really able to watch.  The first thing I saw in this game was the SU Cheerleaders, specifically one Cheerleader who had no arms.  None.  Yeah, I’m sure.  I counted.  Well, I’m going to leave that lie there without further comment. 

Still no Gia Pack for the Aggies for this game.  Kamira Sanders for the Redhawks was still very hot.  Her and Aaliyah Prince led their teams with 19 points each, but SU led the whole game and won 67-57.  A cooler of Powerade at the Aggie bench was harmed during the game and a cleanup was necessary.

MBB Aggies vs Seattle U Redhawks
Trevelin Queen was back from his surgery for this game, but was clearly not 100%.  Just to even it out, Terrell Brown was injured during the game.  Ivan Aurrecoechea was also suffering from a minor injury.  The Student Section looked a bit deserted tonight.  I missed the Wiener Dog race at halftime.  Man, I felt bad about that. 

As for the game, the Aggies kept building up leads (two of 11 points each), only to see SU come back and make it close again.  Very late in the game, the Terrell Brown that plays for the Redhawks made a steal on a bad Evan Gilyard pass and got a layup as part of his 16 points.  The Aggie lead was cut to four, but that was as close as it got.  72-62 Aggies was the final.

Gilyard and Jabari Rice both got 10 points.  Ivan Aurrecoechea got 11, mostly on free throws.  However, the night belonged to Johnny McCants.  He got a critical block and a rebound at the end of the game.  McCants had 18 rebounds, 14 points, and a couple of highlight reel dunks.


2-15-20
WBB Aggies @ Utah State Wolverines
Gia Pack was still out, but the Aggies won this one, 65-57.  Didi Echols led with 19 points.

MBB Aggies vs Utah State Wolverines
I was listening to this game on the radio while at an Aggie Softball game.  Terrell Brown was out for this game.  Trevelin Queen was playing, but still not in his usual high-scoring form.  It was a tight game all the way through.  Let’s just cut to the play that this game will be remembered for.  The Aggies were down by one with six seconds left.  Jabari Rice heaved a last second three-pointer for his 29-th point of the game.  It banked directly into the basket for the 84-82 win. 

The crowd went completely insane.  Jack Nixon, calling the game, was in shock.  Justin Hawkins summed it up best, “That was a no-pressure shot.  If you miss it, nobody expected you to make it.  If you make it, you’re a hero.”  


2-22-20 MBB Aggies vs UTRGV Vaqueros
This was the second Pack the Pan-Am game for the season.  A local business, who didn’t get in the on the first one, bought a bunch of tickets, so the university decided to offer up a bunch more low-cost tickets.  Thanks to ticket sales, this game was on TV, but I mostly listened to the radio broadcast.  There were a few empty seats, but it was pretty packed.  The Aggies had beaten the Vaqueros last month, but both teams were missing their best players then.  Vaqueros were coming in hot on a winning streak.  This was also the Hall of Fame induction game, as mentioned at today’s baseball game.  

The Men have locked up the number one seed at WAC Tournament, as Cal Baptist isn’t eligible, but needed to win one more to secure a regular season title.  Terrell Brown was available to play tonight (that would turn out well).  On the radio pregame it was mentioned that the Women’s team lost this afternoon on the road 74-63.  They are not in good shape for the tournament.  AD Mario Moccia came on and announced that the Pan-Am Center would be getting a new scoreboard thanks to some state funding.  That should be nice. 

The Aggies started off slow.  It was 9-2 UTRGV at the first break, as Aggie shots weren’t falling in.  It was 12-5 at next break with 11 minutes left, but the Aggies started a comeback.  At 14-10 there was a flagrant foul, as Ivan Aurrecoechea was hit in the face.  (“Not the face!” he said, “That’s my money-maker!”)  The Aggies hustled on the next possession even while not getting the shots to go in.  They got four bites of the apple with three offensive rebounds, before McCants got one under the basket and a foul, 14-13.  Jabari Rice put in a jumper for the lead.  Trevelin Queen got a rejection on the other end.  Evan Gilyard then put in a three.  18-14 Aggies. 

It was up to 22-16 Aggies with four minutes left.  A verbal scrum ensued after a foul away from the ball.  A charging Vaqueros player had dropped a ball on a prone Ivan provoking some words.  After a review, there were two technical handed to UTRGV and one to Terrell that offset one of them.  The Aggies then went on a tear.  Queen hit a three.  Ivan had an alley oop dunk with an assist from Johnny McCants.  With two minutes left, the Aggies were up 12.  Terrell was fouled on a three attempt and made all three free throws.  He then followed that up with a made three.  It was 39-25 Aggies at the half.

Terrell started the second half with a three.  I think he’s feeling okay.  McCants then took a hard foul on a layup attempt and took a shot to the face.  These UTRGV guys are mean girls.  The offending Vaquero player, Javon Levi, was boo’d for the rest of the game whenever he touched the ball.  However, UTRGV drilled three three’s in a row to cut a 17-point lead down to 8.  Another Vaquero three cut it to five, 51-46, with 11 minutes left. 

The Aggies got their wind back.  Ivan made a pretty layup.  This was followed up by a Jabari three, a Terrell layup, another Jabari three, and a McCants’ dunk.  64-50 Aggies with seven minutes left.  Terrell put in another three.  Queen had his headband off late for some reason.  (It’s not the NBA finals, Trev.  Don’t go all Lebron.)  Maybe it improved his aim as he dropped in another three.  In short, it rained Aggies.  78-62 Aggies win and are the WAC regular season champs.  Good thing the WAC commissioner was there to hand out that trophy. 

I think your stat of the game was the Aggies outrebounding the Vaqueros 40 to 21.  Jabari Rice had another great game with 20.  Terrell Brown had 18 in a great comeback from his injury, and then, GD it!  I think he hurt himself again cutting down a piece of the net in celebration.  It’s been that kind of year. 


2-27-20
I was at work and sick and buried in work.  I sort of watched or listened to these games, but had no time or strength to take notes.

WBB vs GCU Lopes
The Aggies won 69-58.  They had four players in double figures scoring and that was without Gia Pack playing.  Adrianna Henderson had a career high with 15 points.  Freshman Soufia Inoussa had 14.  The ladies really stepped it up to defend their home court.  Gia is hoping to play on Saturday, her last game at the Pan-Am Center.

MBB @ GCU Lopes
Different venue, but another blowout, 67-53 Aggies.  This one was never in doubt from what I heard.  Jabari Rice led with 16 points.  What was really encouraging was Trevelin Queen’s 14.  I think he’s back in form (and he’s dispensed with the headband from the pictures I saw).  The Aggies completely dominated the boards, 48 to 26.  Coach Jans was a little down on himself for not playing more reserves earlier in the second half. 


2-29-20 MBB @ CSU-Bakersfield Roadrunners
This is shameful to write.  After a long day at Aggie Women’s Basketball and a long late lunch, I came home and started writing up the game while watching a goofy movie.  When I went to bed late that night, I suddenly started; I had forgotten all about the Men’s game that evening. 

Granted that the guys weren’t actually playing for anything.  They’ve already won the WAC regular season championship.  I was also kind of enjoying the goofy movie (King Solomon’s Mines from the 80’s), so I probably just would have had the radio on the background and kept the movie on.  Regardless, I felt like such a bad fan that it kept me awake for a while.  I wasn’t able to find out who won until the next day.  The Aggies turned in great defensive effort against a high-powered Roadrunner offense and won 62-46.  Johnny McCants and Trevelin Queen led with 14 and 12 points respectively. 

It’s very encouraging that the Aggies were able to play lockdown defense on the road in a game that didn’t matter.  Hopefully nobody got hurt in this game.  I will try to do better as a fan.



3-5-20 MBB vs Cal Baptist Lancers
While the Aggies had already secured winning the WAC regular season and the #1 seed at the tournament by going undefeated in conference, they had stuff to play for tonight.  One, it was Senior Day.  You don’t want to lose with your family there or the last time you’re playing on your home court.  Two, this game was against the #2 in conference, CBU.  They’re not eligible for the tournament this season, but they’re a good team.  Three, there have only been two other teams that have ever gone undefeated for the regular season in the WAC.  Fourth, the Aggies currently own the longest winning streak in the nation.

No pressure.

The pregame show with Jack Nixon featured some interesting conversation.  Forgive the non-basketball sidebar here, but I have few opportunities to write on this subject.  The Aggie Track team won the WAC Indoor Championship for the first time ever.  (In like 35 years?  Sorry, I didn’t write it down at the time.  It’s been a while in any case.)  Jack interviewed a couple of the athletes.  One of them said, “I didn’t entirely meet my expectations.”  Jack: “Where did you finish?”  “First,” was her answer. 

The coach was pretty happy with the recognition.  He had told the team they could celebrate until the bus trip back home was over, then it was back to work.  Adam Young had interviewed him on the Coach’s Show yesterday.  He asked, “How did you do it?”  Coach: “Can I say this now that we won?  We kicked their butts.”  The facilities for his team might be charitably described as “quaint.”  He tried to fix them up a bit when he took over the team, a process he described as “putting lipstick on a pig.”  The team was honored out on court during the game. 

AD Mario Moccia was particularly pleased with the Track championship.  When a local TV sports station went out to the team practice track, Mario had to shoo them away from it and from showing what poor condition it was in from being a public-use facility.  National news had been made that Chicago State and UMKC had both cancelled travel to Seattle U because of the Corona-virus and forfeited their games.  Some far they’ve been the only DI schools that I know of that have cancelled games.  Mario didn’t seem to approve.  I can see cash-strapped CS and soon to leave the conference, UMKC, cancelling for other reasons.  The Cougars are the Aggies’ first round opponent in the WAC tournament.  Mario said they needed to know if they’re coming, otherwise they want to schedule a pickup game to stay sharp.

Mario also mentioned that the Baseball team was playing #20 Texas A&M this weekend.  He said, if you multiplied his budget by 10, they’d still have more.  He also crowed about the Softball team beating Houston last week.  Mario told the story that the team had gone down 8-0 in the first inning and Houston started heckling them.  An unnamed player (I’m suspecting Nikki Butler) called an impromptu team motivational meeting.  The Aggie girls went on to win 10-8

Coach Jans apologized to the fans that he was holding team Senior ceremony after the game.  He said otherwise players might be too emotional to play.  (He’s seen it before.)  Given that there are six seniors (Ivan Aurrecoechea, CJ Bobbitt, Terrell Brown, Shunn BuchananAJ Harris, and Trevelin Queen), that could be nearly half the team in tears before the game.  The crowd for tonight’s game was 7,000+.  That’s basically capacity when they don’t open up the rafters.  There wasn’t any big promotion that I know of, so that was a really good crowd.  They sounded loud and enthusiastic for the game.  There was one notable absence.  I did not hear PA Ed Carnathan.  It was the Softball PA (whose name I really did try to get when I met him) working the mic tonight.  He did a good job in Ed’s absence.

First half
The seniors all started the game (except for AJ, who’s still injured).  They didn’t disappoint.  Queen hit a three as part of a 5-0 Aggies start.  The CBU coach called a quick timeout.  He must have seen something he didn’t like or had some real ominous foreboding.  It got worse for the Lancers.  Trev had a pair of steals.  Terrell hit a three.  Shunn had a steal.  It was 9-1.  Bobbitt put in a three, 12-1.  There was a block by Jabari Rice.  Queen hit another three, 15-1. 

Well, this was just getting silly.  The CBU coach got a technical foul, but I really doubt the referees were the cause of the Lancers’ troubles.  Their two best players did acquire two fouls each.  Milan Acquaah (with the unforgettable name) was briefly on the bench, but had to come back in to try and stop the bleeding. 

11 minutes left, Terrell hit another three to make it 23-3 Aggies.  Shunn had another steal, which led to a CJ basket.  Terrell made his third three.  29-9 with seven minutes left.  Evan Gilyard came in and hit a three.  Trev hit a pair of threes and had a dunk off a turnover.  It was 46-20 Aggies at the half.  Hmm, I think all I did here was list Aggie scoring.  That’s my kind of game.

During the second half, I switched over to watching the Women’s game, which was going on at the same time, but checked back periodically.  I gather it was more of the same back at the Pan-Am Center.  I just missed the Aggies running off three dunks in a row late.  They may have had a 40-point lead at that point.  With five minutes left, the seniors were brought off the court individually.  CBU was resting their star players for their Saturday game. 

The local boys, Bryce Rewalt and Tennessee Owens, came in.  Bryce may have had the play of the game.  He missed the front end of a one-and-one.  CBU thought it was two shots and didn’t try to get the ball.  Bryce charged in, got the rebound, and made a layup.  The crowd loved it and the 83-50 Aggies final score.

How did the Aggies do it?  They shot 50% to CBU’s 29%.  That might be enough to beat anybody, but, as I said earlier, there was a special confluence of events tonight.  The Aggies had five players in double figures.  Trevelin Queen led with 19.  Shunn Buchanan had no points, but had four steals and was all over the court helping.  This was a great performance for this season’s team to exit their home court with.  During the Senior ceremony, Coach Jans saluted the crowd who stayed for it.  He said it said something about your character to do that.


3-5-20 WBB @ Cal Baptist Lancers
On the other end of the spectrum, I joined this game in progress in the third quarter over the WAC Digital Network.  The Aggies were losing badly by about 20.  Gia Pack was still not available.  I do think she’ll be playing the tournament or at least try.  In the fourth quarter, the team made a bit of a comeback and played hard to the end, but they were down too far.  82-70 CBU was the final. 


Four Aggies finished in double figures, including Soufia Inoussa, who led with 14 points, but they were outrebounded 50-31 and 22-3 in offensive rebounds.  I’ve been concerned about the team missing Gia’s rebounding.  Once again (1-2-20), I couldn’t help but notice that the Lancer team was pretty good-looking.  Cutie, Georgia Dale had 27 points and six threes.  Another thing I noticed was that the team had an enormous number of Cheerleaders.  It seemed like they filled one side of the stands.  Here’s hoping Gia is able to play and contribute next week in the tournament.  

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