I almost didn’t go today. I was depressed for no specific reason. An overcast sky seemed to make everything dreary. If my ennui had peaked earlier, I’d might have called work and canceled the day off. I was finally caught up at work from taking four days off last month. Probably the only reason I went was a promoted cool giveaway poster for the upcoming Aggie bowl game. I’ll put up a picture of it in another post. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but it was worth going just to get it.
Since this was a double header with the Aggie Men and Women, I sort of decided I’d hit the grill after the Women’s game,
so I’d be going for dinner, too. (The
grill is only open for Men’s games.)
Both games were with NAIA directional New Mexico colleges. These would not be marquee matchups. I did see my broker today (maybe that’s why I
was depressed). He said that NM State
was legislatively obligated to play these schools every year. He said he also had season tickets, but
hadn’t used them yet.
I ran into Marketing Director Nicole Sack up front. I immediately asked the question I wanted to
ask somebody in charge last game. Since the Saturday Women’s game had been
moved up to accommodate the bowl game, would they be doing a watch party at the
Pan-Am Center on the video boards
after the basketball game? She darn near
laughed at me. I didn’t bother with the
fund-raising ideas I had for the watch party.
So much for that.
I did pick up a poster, which were all gone after the
Women’s game. The merch kiosk had bowl
game t-shirts on sale. I really don’t
need any more t-shirts, but . . . I’ll think about it again on Saturday. If Aggie
Football loses, those t-shirts might not be there two weeks from now for
the next basketball game. If they win,
there’ll be a winning t-shirt there. It’s
a gamble either way.
The game was scheduled for 5:00pm. When the Anthem started, I think there were
like 25 people in the stands. The
attendance was later listed at 432. Most
of those fans arrived later. The Western New Mexico Mustangs coach ran
his team off the court before the Anthem.
The team and assistants looked like they were running for free ice
cream. The Cheerleaders looked a bit
freaked out performing in front of nearly empty stands. I could hear myself clapping at times, which
never happens normally. WNM looked like
a fairly tall, spirited group of girls.
Our Coach Adams was wearing
an Aggie Artic camo hoodie for tonight’s fashion report.
First
Quarter
The Aggies started the game off with a travel call. On defense, Coach Adams was all over the team
right at the start. The other coach was
just as animated. 8’ left in the
quarter, Sianny Sanchez-Oliver
fought over the ball twice with a much larger, Diamond Moore. Good to see
some fight in the Aggies. The team
committed another travel right after, but Sylena
Peterson stole the ball back and hit a jumper, 6-3 Aggies.
In the crowd, a guy came in wearing a sharp crimson
bowler. They should sell those at the
kiosk. A lady came in with him wearing a
rhinestone-studded Aggie jacket that looked like something Coach Adams had
probably worn. The Aggies were using
their whole bench that was available. Imani Warren, who I hadn’t seen before,
came in. 5’ Sy made another jumper to
make it 8-4. The Mustangs took a
timeout.
4’ Sabou Gueye
made a steal. Lucia Yenes then found Ene
Adams inside for a bucket, 10-6 Aggies.
Ene scored again with an offensive rebound and a layup. 2’ left, Sha’Kaia
Parker was another new face that came in.
The Aggies started trapping and got a turnover. The Band, who was at half-strength because
most of the students were on break, started chanting, “Double digits!” at the
Mustangs.
1’ Sabou lost the handle on a pass, but managed to get
back ahold of it and Euro-step her way to the basket for a layup. Ene made another layup and drew a foul. She missed the free throw, but Sabou got the
rebound and the bucket. With under a
minute left, Ene made an “Ole” move for two under the basket. Jade
Goynes for WNM hit a last second jumper to make it 21-12 after 10 minutes.
Second
Quarter
The Aggies began with another travel. (I’ll stop harping on it when they stop doing
it.) Sabou began the Aggie scoring with
a steal and a layup, 23-12 Aggies. Sabou
got another steal and passed to Molly
Kaiser for a jumper. 27-12 Aggies
and timeout WNM.
Sylena had a turnover.
WNM missed their layup and Nxerro
Maluw (no, I’m not sure how to pronounce that) went hard into the
goal. She came up okay. 5’ Aggie trapping forced a WNM travel and a
turnover. Ene and Nxerro nearly
exchanged blows in the lane. Thankfully,
that didn’t happen. However, Sabou
committed her third foul and came out.
4’ left in the quarter, Ene and Nxerro tangled again. Ene came away with free throws, but missed
both. Jaila Harding got the rebound and a layup, 35-14. 3’ Molly followed that by going
coast-to-coast, 37-14. Next trip, Molly
went into the goal. She was okay and
made her free throws, 41-16.
Imani traveled making a spin move to the basket. She then committed a foul. The coach left her in. She was coaching Imani on court during the
free throws. Imani was fouled afterward
and made a free throw. The half ended,
42-18 Aggies.
Halftime
A kid’s hip hop dance troop performed. They were cute and worked it. The parents in the crowd were very
excited. The crowd had filled in by this
time. I walked up the steps to the
bathroom and ran into that guy that wanted to buy my truck at the last
game. Still not for sale.
Third
Quarter
Coach Adams took an early timeout right after the quarter
started. I have no idea why. Nxerro dropped in a 3 to make it 42-21. Santa was in the house. I noticed him by the north end seats talking
to the kids there. What a guy! He wasn’t formally announced until after the
game. He was up front getting pictures
with kids and not-kids. (No, not
me. I sort of wanted to, but
didn’t.)
Coach Adams was at the end of the bench talking to
Jaila. She was spending a lot of time
individually coaching in this game. 7’ Sydney Wright hit a 3 for the Mustangs,
34-26. Molly found Ene under the basket,
46-26. Sianny made a steal. Sabou would be fouled on the possession and
made her free throws, 48-26.
5’ Molly made an unexpected 3, 51-28 Aggies. Sabou committed her fourth foul and came
out. I noticed a Men’s team member
watching the game up by the concourse. I
don’t know who. He was in the shadows
and I also don’t know anybody on the team.
Molly dropped in another 3. She was
feeling it. 54-29 and timeout WNM.
Broadcaster Jack
Nixon arrived. I checked the
time. It was still going to be a while
till the Men’s pregame. 4’ Lucia missed
a 3. Molly grabbed the rebound and
passed it back to Lucia cutting to the basket for the layup and a foul. She missed the free throw, but the Aggies got
two offensive rebounds before Sylena was fouled and made two free throws,
58-29.
3’ Sy made a nice pass to Lucia, who made a nice move to
the basket for a bucket, 60-31. Ene made
a scoop shot and a free throw with a foul, 63-31. Molly took a charge on defense. She was playing like it was a close
game. Molly then had a steal by picking
up a player’s dribble and made a jumper, 65-31.
1’ WNM missed two free throws, but Jade got the rebound and stuck it
back in. Diamond out-jumped two taller
Aggie players for a rebound on defense.
Jaila finished the quarter with a 3, 68-35 Aggies.
Fourth
Quarter
The reserves mostly took over for the final 10
minutes. 8’ Imani hit a 3, got a steal,
was fouled on the layup, and converted her two free throws, 75-38. Sianny and Nxerro collided on court and both
went to the floor. They were okay. These girls must be living right to be
avoiding injury in this game.
Nxerro made a big block on Imani. 5’ Mustang Brooke Rodgers dropped in a 3, 77-45. Parker had a layup for her first points as an
Aggie. 4’ Lucia grabbed a rebound, which
she’d been doing quite a bit during the game, and hit a 3. 2’ Joslyn
Montez entered the game for WNM. PA
Ed announced her as being from Las Cruces and she got a big cheer from the
crowd. She was easily the smallest
player on court. Parker hit a 3 and then
fought to the basket for a layup. The Aggies won 89-54.
The Aggie ladies took care of business, but the Mustangs
played hard all the way through. Nxerro Maluw led for WNM with 12 points. For the Aggies, Molly Kaiser was huge with 22 points. Ene
Adams scored 15 and Lucia Yenes had
13 points with 9 rebounds. The Aggies
had 10 steals. Sabou Gueye had 3 of them.
Like I said, the students were out, so there were no
ushers in the arena. I was sitting in a
prime seat, but I could have moved elsewhere and stayed for the Men’s
game. I just didn’t feel like it. I could listen on the radio anyway. I did want dinner before going. The grill was open to get a burger. I finally got a good look at the menu and
nearly changed my mind. They also have
chicken fingers, chili cheese fries, Papa John’s pizza slices, and full pizzas
for $20. I stuck with the burger, put it
in my coat pocket, and left for home.
(The burger was good, especially given it was only
$6. After what had happened with the
pretzel last time, I probably shouldn’t have trusted them. I’ve had the pizza before. It’s kind of cold, since they deliver it from
the restaurant and just keep it warm at the concessions. I’m interested in trying the fries and
chicken fingers.)
I talked to dad at home and he mentioned UTEP Volleyball. They were playing in the championship game in
the national tournament they were in tonight. They lost in the championship to Wichita State in straight sets, but the
Miners had a great run. They played six
games, all at home, in front of capacity crowds. I wonder if they accepted the invitation to
the tournament because they play in Memorial
Gym, which they don’t share with the basketball teams, and wouldn’t have to
travel. This may be why the Aggies
didn’t play in it.
(I had a Men’s game program that I was going to use for a
picture, but I lost it at the game. I
tried to get another, but they’d run out like with those Bowl posters.) I listened to the Aggie Men’s game against Northern
New Mexico. There were just under
4,000 at the game and they watched the Aggies finish the first half down by 1
to the NAIA team. At the half, they had
the Teddy Bear toss. Santa and Frozen
characters were on the floor with the Grinch, as fans tossed their teddy bears
on court. The Grinch tried to steal them,
but was stopped by Santa.
About halfway through the second half, the Aggies finally
got the lead and the crowd got into it. NNM
tied it late. The Aggies lost the lead, but
retook it and finally won 76-71. It was even closer than that score indicates. In the postgame, Coach Hooten had admiration for NNM and apologized for his players’
efforts. Between injuries and
eligibility issues, he hasn’t had much to work with this season. He pledged to make a donation to the
university to make up for it. (Pave the
parking lot and make Coach Kill
happy.) The Coach also flirted with Jack’s
analyst, Anita Skipper, at the end
of the interview. You sly dog.
Okay, Saturday is the big bowl game and I plan on being at the Women’s game before it. I guess I won’t be watching the football game, but I’ll listen on the radio.
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