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New Mexico State quells momentum of UMKC men and women

By Derek Helling

BROOKLYN, NY - JANUARY 17: a generic view of the game ball during the game between the San Antonio Spurs and Brooklyn Nets on January 17, 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
BROOKLYN, NY - JANUARY 17: a generic view of the game ball during the game between the San Antonio Spurs and Brooklyn Nets on January 17, 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The men’s and women’s basketball teams from UMKC seemed determined to enter their conference tournaments on unprecedented tears until they met up with the Aggies of New Mexico State.

Coming into play on Saturday, Feb. 24, UMKC‘s men’s and women’s basketball teams looked like the squads no one in the Western Athletic Conference wanted to take on.

The women had won two games in a row and both by comfortable margins. The second of those games came at home on Thursday, Feb. 22 against the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The Roos led for all but 32 seconds of the contest and never trailed, running to a 79-59 victory.

The zone defense was a big part of UMKC’s success against the Vaqueros and enabled the Roos to get out in transition more often than they have been able to in previous games. After the game, UMKC head coach Jacie Hoyt spoke about that facet of her team’s play developing.

"“Right now we are really focused on just doing what we are good at, not necessarily on who our opponent is but what our strengths are. Right now our pressure defense is really effective. We forced them into 23 turnovers. We created a lot of chaos and havoc. We are really good when we are able to play fast like that and it starts on the defensive end. We are just going to keep going with what’s working right now.”"

Later Thursday night, the men faced their counterparts at UTRGV as the road team and were similarly successful. The Roo men secured their fourth consecutive victory by a score of 83-59 thanks to forcing 18 turnovers and out-rebounding the Vaqueros 43-35.

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Looking for their fifth consecutive win, UMKC’s men continued their road trip in Las Cruces, N.M. against WAC-leading New Mexico State. The result was nearly the polar opposite in comparison to Thursday night’s contest.

The Aggies turned the ball over only nine times and shot nearly 57 percent from the field en route to an 82-58 win over the Roos. The Aggie women, tied for first place in the conference standings on their end, were the visitors in UMKC women’s final home game of the season earlier on Saturday. New Mexico State showed why they are a favorite to win the conference tournament in the game.

While Roos’ senior guard Aries Washington scored a career-high 31 points in her final game at Swinney Recreation Center, the Aggies limited the production of the rest of the UMKC roster, taking the 76-67 victory.

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Both the Roo men (10-20 overall, 5-8 WAC) and the women (10-18 overall, 6-7 WAC) will play their final games of the regular season on Saturday, March 3 at Chicago State. Both teams have opportunities to improve their seeding for the conference tournament with wins and help.

If they can recapture some of their play prior to facing the Aggies, they will also recapture some of the momentum just in time for a run at an NCAA tournament automatic qualifying spot.

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