NM State defense holds strong, but falcons rally late to steal the win.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Photo: Courtesy
TEMPE, ARIZ. – Looking to rebound from a tough loss to Pepperdine in the opening round of the Arizona Tip-Off, NM State (3-4, 0-0) faced Bowling Green (3-5, 0-0) in Saturday’s third-place game. Despite holding a five-point lead with just under four minutes to play, the Aggies fell in a heartbreaker, 61-60, at Mullett Arena.
Bowling Green opened the game with a quick 5-0 run, sparked by a three-pointer from Marcus Johnson and a smooth layup by Derrick Butler. The Aggies got on the board when Peter Filipovity knocked down a pair of free throws after drawing contact, cutting the early deficit to 5-2.
The teams traded baskets over the next few minutes before NM State strung together a 5-2 run, capped by a three-pointer from Christian Cook that gave the Aggies their largest lead of the half at 13-9 with 10:01 remaining.
The back-and-forth action continued as Bowling Green reclaimed the lead late in the half. A pair of free throws from senior guard Jaden Harris brought NM State within one at 24-23 with 56 seconds to play. However, the Falcons closed the half with two free throws from Jamal Felt to take a 26-23 advantage into the locker room.
NM State regained momentum early in the second half when Harris knocked down a three-pointer to put the Aggies ahead, 31-30, with 15:45 remaining. From there, the two teams engaged in a tightly contested battle with multiple lead changes.
Midway through the second half, the Aggies surged ahead with a 12-3 run, highlighted by another Harris three, giving NM State its largest lead of the game at 53-46 with 10:39 to play.
However, Bowling Green responded down the stretch, chipping away at the deficit. With 50 seconds left on the clock, Javontae Campbell sank two clutch free throws to give the Falcons a 61-60 lead — their first since midway through the half.
The Aggies had a chance to retake the lead on the game’s final possession, but a midrange jumper from Cook fell short, sealing NM State’s narrow defeat 61-60 and extending their road skid to four games.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
· Senior guard Jaden Harris delivered an impressive performance in his first start of the season, leading the Aggies with a team-high 18 points. He also tied for the team lead with nine rebounds, setting a new career high.
· Despite the loss, the Aggies put on a strong defensive showing, holding the Falcons to just 15 made field goals and a season-best 23% shooting from beyond the arc (5-21). Both marks are the lowest NM State has allowed any opponent this season.
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