New Mexico State upsets Utah State 69-63 in WAC title game

New Mexico State beats Utah State, wins WAC title

RENO, Nev. — Jahmar Young scored 19 points to help New Mexico State snap top-seeded Utah State’s 17-game winning streak with a 69-63 upset Saturday night in the Western Athletic Conference tournament title game.

Troy Gillenwater 15 added 15 points and Jonathan Gibson 14 for the Aggies (22-11), who allowed only five turnovers in a physical game to Utah State’s nine.

Young scored consecutive baskets to spark a 14-4 run late in the game that turned a 51-46 deficit into a 60-55 lead for New Mexico State. The 6-foot-5 junior point guard, who was voted the tourney MVP, hit a basket with 3.8 seconds left in the semifinals Friday night to knock off second-seeded Nevada 80-79.

Jared Quayle had 25 points, Nate Bendall 16 and Tai Wesley 13 for Utah State (27-7), which trailed 28-26 at the half en route to its first loss since Jan. 4.

Brian Green came off the bench for Utah State to hit a 3-pointer from the left corner to cut the Aggies’ lead to 60-57 with 3:35 left in the game.

After New Mexico State’s Wendell McKines scored and Young made a free throw, Quayle’s jump shot made it 63-59. But Young lobbed a pass to Gillenwater to turn a fast break into a slam dunk and a 65-69 lead with 1:23 to go.

Bendall scored inside to cut it to 65-61 at 1:12, but Young’s floater in the lane made it 67-61 with 39 seconds on the clock.

Quayle missed a 3-pointer but got a bank shot to go to make it 67-63 with 16 seconds left, but Hernst Laroche made two free throws to seal the win.

The play was so physical that Wesley had to leave the game with a broken, bloody nose twice in the first 7 minutes of the game, and then again about 5 minutes before the half.

“He’s bleeding,” Young told referee Randy McCall when Wesley returned in front of the press table with blood stains on his jersey.

“It’s just blood on his jersey,” McCall answered.

“He’s not going to touch me,” Young declared.

“Don’t guard him,” the ref replied and handed the ball to Wesley to inbound.

The rough play contributed to both team’s shooting struggles early with Utah State missing its first six and New Mexico State its first five from 3-point range.

Bendall hit a 17-footer to give Utah State a 18-14 lead 7:36 before the half, but New Mexico State went on an 11-3 run capped by three consecutive baskets from Gillenwater to go ahead 24-21.

Quayle followed a pair of free throws with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to put Utah State up 26-25 about 3 minutes before the break, but Young answered with a 3 of his own from the left baseline to make it 28-26 at the half.