The opening 12 minutes was evenly matched as both teams traded baskets. However at 8:07 is when the Aggies made their move.
A 3-pointer by Ian Baker jumpstarted a quick 7-2 run and NM State led 24-14 with 3:32 remaining in the first stanza. With six seconds remaining Pascal Siakam found space underneath the basket and laid it in and the Aggies went into intermission with a 26-16 lead.
The NM State defense stifled UTPA in the first half. Using primarily a 2-3 zone defense, the Aggies held the Broncs to 32 percent (8-of-25) shooting from the field and forced seven turnovers.
NM State started the second half on a strong note and led 44-28 at 10:49. However, the Broncs gradually chipped away at the Aggies’ 16-point lead and a Shaquille Boga jumper at 2:33 brought UTPA to within two. However, Remi Barry and Daniel Mullings hit pivotal free throws in the final 40 seconds to ice the game.
The Aggies dominated the game in front of the basket. NM State outscored UTPA 16-8 in the paint and outrebounded them 33-28. The NM State bench was also important and outscored the UTPA bench 14-0.
Mullings scored a team-high 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and now sits at No. 6 on the career-scoring list at NM State.
Siakam finished with 11 points and hauled in six rebounds. Barry and Baker each helped out with 10 points.
For the game the Aggies shot 45.7 percent (16-of-35) from the field, while holding UTPA (8-14, 2-4 WAC) to 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the floor.
NM State (13-10, 5-1 WAC) hit the road for a pair of WAC road games next week at Chicago State and Missouri-Kansas City.