LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The University of Idaho men's basketball team started strong against New Mexico State but couldn't finish strong as it fell, 66-50 Saturday night at the Pan American Center. The Vandals fall to 4-22 on the season 1-13 in the WAC.
Idaho held a 33-23 halftime lead but was outscored 43 to 17 in the second half as it dropped its sixth consecutive game and its 15th straight road game.
"I thought our execution was excellent tonight, in the first half the shots went down in the second half they didn't," Idaho head coach Leonard Perry said. "It's been the story of the year; wide open shots and we didn't make them."
The two teams traded baskets and the lead to open the first half before the Vandals broke a 7-7 tie with an 8-0 run over nearly four minutes to take an eight point lead at 15-7. The Aggies chipped away at the lead with an 8-2 run to get within two points at 17-15, but the Vandals responded with a 16-6 run to close out the half and took a 33-23 lead into the locker room.
The Vandals shot 55 percent from the floor in the first half including 40 percent from the 3-point line. The Aggies shot 36 percent from the floor and were held to a 17 percent performance from beyond the arc.
Idaho hit its first four shots of the second half to push its lead to 14 points at 39-25 but things fell apart for the Vandals from there. New Mexico State threw on a full court pressure defense that seemed to rattle the Vandals and a 19-3 run over nearly seven minutes gave the Aggies their first lead of the game, 46-44, since the 17:24 mark of the first half.
The Vandals went eight minutes and 18 seconds without a field goal before Keoni Watson hit a jumper at the 8:55 mark to keep Idaho within two points at 48-46, but Watson was whistled for his fifth foul moments later and the Vandals couldn't buy a basket after that. New Mexico State went on a 15-1 run from there to take a 17 point lead and Idaho did not score another field goal until the 1:29 mark. During a 17 minute span in the second half the Vandals were outscored 39-9.
"Keoni fouling out really hurt us offensively because I'm not sure if we scored again the next eight minutes," Perry said. "I think fatigue plays a major part because this was our fourth game in seven days and we don't have anyone that can come in and give Tanoris (Shepard) and Keoni a breather."
New Mexico State recorded 18 points off Idaho turnovers and had 24 points in the paint compared to only eight for the Vandals.
Idaho shot 42 percent (18-43) from the floor for the game and was a dismal 5-of-21 (24 percent) from the 3-point line. After a sluggish start the Aggies rebounded to shoot 53 percent (16-30) in the second half. New Mexico State held a 32-26 rebounding edge.
The Vandals were led by Shepard with 13 points while Watson added 11. David Dubois led the team with five rebounds. New Mexico State was led by Tyrone Nelson with 21 points and nine rebounds.
"I don't think anyone in the league is playing better than we are right now," Perry said. "We are going to continue to get better and we are going to be a hard team to deal with at the conference tournament."
Idaho (4-22, 1-13) travels to Ruston, LA. to face Louisiana Tech on Mon., Feb. 27 beginning at 5 p.m. PT.
"We play Louisiana Tech and I believe that we have a good chance to win this game with the way that our kids are playing," Perry said. "Their athleticism will hurt us but hopefully we can get them to miss some shots."
