Las Cruces N.M. • Stew Morrill’s voice could be heard in the lockerroom hallway, the paint peeling under a barrage of words directed at his Utah State players, many of whom had wilted under pressure just minutes earlier.
USU was pounced on and beaten down by New Mexico State on Thursday night at the Pan American Center. The final was 80-60, as NMSU put on a dunk fest in the final 10 minutes, highlighted by the showboating that’s made the team notable.
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Losing the game didn’t bother Morrill so much as the manner of the defeat. He told his team that they quit when things went wrong. That they laid down under adversity.
"It was an embarrassment," Morrill said. "I’m embarrassed, and they should be embarrassed too. This is not Utah State basketball."
For much of the game, it appeared the Aggies would have every chance to win an important road matchup. When freshman center Jordan Stone put in a layup, USU led 46-42 with 13 minutes remaining.
And then, it all fell apart.
New Mexico State got to every rebound, every loose ball. NMSU went on an initial run that ballooned to a 70-48 advantage with two minutes remaining. There were dunks and hard stares following. There were taunting technical fouls, as New Mexico State took every opportunity to rub it in once victory became imminent.
"The showboating, it bothered me," USU junior forward Kyisean Reed said. "If it doesn’t bother all of us, I don’t know who we are. This is something to remember when they come to our house."
This is danger time for Utah State, 1-2 in the Western Athletic Conference, winner of a single road game all season and now facing an improving and similarly athletic Louisiana Tech team on Saturday night.
The Aggies were led by Reed’s 18 points and six rebounds. Senior point guard Brockeith Pane scored 16 points. But Utah State went 3-16 from 3-point range and missed 10 free throws, all in the second half. The Aggies were outrebounded 42-31 and surrendered 17 points to star freshman Daniel Mullings.
"We have to look in the mirror and find a way to turn this around," Pane said.
Twitter: @tonyaggieville
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