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NM State men stunned on road vs. Chicago State

Loss prevents Aggies from clinching share of WAC title

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CHICAGO - Brandon Betson banked in a layup with 2.4 seconds remaining and Jabari Rice's last-second heave was off the mark as NM State dropped a 61-59 decision Saturday afternoon at Chicago State.

The Aggies still sit atop the WAC standings, but plans for at least a share of the 2021-22 WAC regular-season title were put on hold with the setback. NM State could have clinched at least a share of the league's regular-season crown with a win, but it will now need to win one or both of its final two games of the regular season to do so. That is also dependent upon results around the WAC Saturday.

FIRST HALF
• Mustering just six points through the first nine minutes and change, NM State found itself in an early 18-6 hole with 9:04 showing on the clock. Betson laced a trio of three-pointers for the hosts through their strong start.
• Though they couldn't get much to fall from the field, the Aggies made a bid to get back into it from the free throw line. Teddy Allen and Rice each connected on two free throws during an 8-0 run by the visitors which trimmed Chicago State's lead down to four, 18-14, with 6:10 left.
• Four points, though, was as close as the Aggies would get for the rest of the frame. Chicago State reestablished its double-digit lead with a 14-8 run which culminated with another Betson three-pointer with 57 seconds to go.
• Down 32-22, NM State netted six points in the final 20 seconds of the half to make it a game once again. Virshon Cotton, who had been giving NM State a steady spark off the bench for the whole game, was intentionally fouled on a fast-break layup try. Upon making both of his free throws, Donnie Tillman went to the line for two more. Tillman missed his second, but tracked down the offensive rebound and hit Cotton in the corner for a three-pointer which pulled NM State back within four, 32-28, at the break.
• The Aggies shot only 34.5-percent (10-of-29) from the field in the opening frame, but remained within striking distance by sinking seven of their eight tries at the foul line. Chicago State, meanwhile, drained 50-percent (5-of-10) of its long balls and shot 46.4-percent (13-of-28) from the field overall.

SECOND HALF
• Continuing the strong play that allowed them to close the gap in the first stanza, the Aggies used five consecutive points from Clayton Henry through the first 88 seconds of the deciding frame to grab their first lead of the game.
• Undeterred, Chicago State answered with an 8-1 surge to go back up by six, 40-34, with 15:48 left. Jahsean Corbett capped off the run with a layup.
• NM State battled back and grabbed the lead back once again courtesy of a fast-break score from Cotton. That layup through traffic came off of his first steal of the game and made the score 46-45 in favor of the Aggies. Like they had been doing all afternoon, though, the Cougars roared back and netted the next four points to regain the edge.
• Rice sank a crucial corner three-pointer with 4:20 to go which knotted the score at 56. That long ball represented the starting point of a 6-0 NM State run.
• It looked as though NM State had finally figured things out when McNair Jr., drained two free throws to give the visitors their final lead of the game with 2:15 left. Following his two makes, Henry split a pair of tries at the charity stripe which pushed the Aggies' lead to three, 59-56.
• Armed with their largest lead of the game, the Aggies saw it evaporate on the very next possession. Jahsean Corbett hit a tough layup through contact and tied the game with a make at the foul line with 1:23 left.
• McNair Jr., missed on a baseline move before Rice couldn't get his driving layup with 24 seconds to go to fall through the tin. That series of events set up Betson's game-winning shot.

KEY PERFORMERS/STATISTICS OF NOTE
• Missing Johnny McCants (non-COVID illness), Yuat Alok (non-COVID illness), Marchelus Avery (concussion protocol) and Mario McKinney Jr. (DNP, coach's decision), NM State was short-handed from the jump. Rice finished with a team-high 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting and neared triple-double territory by turning in eight rebounds and seven assists.
• Allen added 10 points while Cotton matched his season-high by putting in 11 points on a 4-of-6 clip from the field.
• Tillman totaled a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with his five points, three assists and two steals.
• Betson's 17 points were a game-high while Corbett added 16 on a 7-of-17 performance from the field. Harris was the third and final Cougar in double-digits, going for 12 on a 4-of-7 showing from long distance.

COMING UP NEXT
• NM State returns to the Pan American Center to close out the regular season with a pair of WAC showdowns. First up is a Wednesday night showdown between the Aggies and SFA with tip-off set to occur at 7:00 p.m.


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