New Mexico State built a 16-point lead Saturday night, before Teddy Allen scored his first point.
Then, the former Mesa Desert Ridge High School player went off.
A long 3 pointer. swish A driving shot with defenders hanging on him. Two points.
Whenever Grand Canyon made a run, Allen responded. Big. And it was contagious for the rest of his teammates.
Grand Canyon saw its hopes of catching the Aggies in the WAC race vanish before a barrage of 3-pointers and difficult shots and lost 82-66 before a sellout crowd at GCU Arena.
Jovan Blacksher Jr., and Holland Woods II tried to dig the Lopes out of their huge hole.
But after getting as close as 59-51 with 12:30 left, the Aggies hit go again.
Allen fired in a 3, setting off a 14-3 run and buried the Lopes the rest of the way.
The Lopes lost the battle on the boards, giving up 12 second-chance points.
Allen, a redshirt junior guard, who prepped his last two years in Nebraska, finished with 30 points, making 10 of 21 shots and 5 of 11 3-pointers and 5 of 7 free throws.
NMSU beat Grand Canyon at Las Cruces by 10 behind Allen’s 28 points.
This was one of the greatest NMSU efforts in the GCU series. The Lopes now trail the all-time series 16-5.
GCU (18-7, 9-5) can only hope it doesn’t have to play every day in the WAC five-day tournament in Las Vegas in March.
To get a double-bye, it would have to be among the top two. That doesn’t look good with NMSU (22-4, 11-2) and Seattle U (21-6, 12-2) owning the WAC this year.
GCU is two games behind third-place Sam Houston State and a game behind fourth-place Stephen F Austin.
On Saturday, New Mexico State looked like a team with no peers in the WAC. It hit every difficult shot and dropped in 12 of 23 3-pointers for 52%. The Aggies made 55% of their shots. And they dominated the glass, as usual.
Woods had 22 points and Blacksher 20 for the Lopes, who gave up 53% shooting on the night.
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.
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