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New Mexico State solidifies position atop WAC with victories over UMKC

By Derek Helling

RALEIGH, NC - DECEMBER 09: NC State and UMKC players jockey for the rebound during the game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the UMKC Kangaroos on December 9, 2017 at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC. NC State won 88-69. (Photo by Brian Utesch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - DECEMBER 09: NC State and UMKC players jockey for the rebound during the game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the UMKC Kangaroos on December 9, 2017 at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC. NC State won 88-69. (Photo by Brian Utesch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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To be the best, you have to beat the best. That’s what the UMKC men’s and women’s basketball teams attempted on Saturday night in games against their counterparts at New Mexico State University.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams from New Mexico State University both currently sit atop the Western Athletic Conference standings, and they asserted themselves even further on Saturday against the men’s and women’s teams from UMKC.

At Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, the Aggie men (18-3 overall, 6-0 WAC) flipped the script on the Roos (6-17 overall, 1-5 WAC) to take an early lead that they wouldn’t relinquish in a 73-48 win. UMKC came into the game leading the WAC in turnover margin (+2.95) and third in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.347).

New Mexico State contested all of the Roos’ three-point attempts through much of the first half, keeping UMKC from hitting its first 11 such shots. The Aggies also ultimately won the turnover battle for the game, 16-11.

The 48 points that the Roos managed were the fewest for a single game so far this season, as UMKC finished shooting just 17.9 percent (5-for-28) from downtown. The Roo men weren’t the only ones struggling with finding the bottom of the net early.

The Aggie women (11-9 overall, 5-1 WAC) on their home court Saturday were also frustrating UMKC’s offense. The Roos (7-14 overall, 3-3 WAC) managed just 11 points in the first quarter of the contest, but a strong defensive effort in the second and third quarters enabled the Roos to challenge with a fourth quarter run.

At three different times in the game’s final frame the Roos were able to shrink the New Mexico State lead to a single possession, but more untimely scoring droughts prevented UMKC from taking a lead.

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The Roo women return home to play a pair of games against WAC opponents, beginning with Grand Canyon University (10-10 overall, 4-2 WAC) on Thursday, Feb. 1. The men will face Grand Canyon (15-7 overall, 4-2 WAC) for the second time this season, this time on the road, on Saturday as well.

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