Final
SDSU edges New Mexico to claim Mountain West crown
Mar 9, 2014 - 7:43 AM San Diego, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - San Diego State couldn't stop Cameron Bairstow, so head coach Steve Fisher turned to a 1-3-1 zone.New Mexico never had an answer after that.
Xavier Thames had 23 points and five steals and No. 10 San Diego State clinched the Mountain West regular-season title with a 51-48 victory over 21st-ranked New Mexico.
After Alex Kirk's jumper staked the Lobos to a 41-25 advantage with 12:04 left, the Aztecs (27-3, 16-2 MWC) switched to the zone and Bairstow, who had 19 points to that point, netted just one the rest of the way.
Bairstow had 26 points in New Mexico's 58-44 triumph over San Diego State on Feb. 22.
San Diego State, meanwhile, closed the game on a 26-7 run.
Dwayne Polee II, who anchored the zone, tallied four of the Aztecs' eight steals in the final 12 minutes.
The Aztecs, who won despite shooting 39.6 percent (19-of-48) from the floor and missing all nine of their 3-point attempts, closed the year with four straight wins.
Kirk finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for New Mexico (24-6, 15-3), which had its six-game winning streak snapped.
A Josh Davis steal led to a Polee layup, which staked San Diego State to a 44-42 edge with 4:58 to go.
New Mexico countered as DeShawn Delaney knocked down a left corner triple -- the first 3-pointer for either team -- with 4:30 to play.
Neither team scored again until Thames put the Aztecs up for good after hitting a short pull-up jumper for a 46-45 SDSU lead with 2:57 remaining. J.J. O'Brien split a pair from the foul line with 38 ticks on the clock to make it 47-45 and Kendall Williams missed badly on a potential go-ahead trey with nine seconds left.
Thames then sunk two free throws to seal the outcome.
Earlier, the Aztecs opened up an 18-11 advantage, but New Mexico closed the half on a 15-2 run to take a 26-20 lead into the break.
Bairstow and Kirk poured in six points apiece during a 15-0 run to stake New Mexico to its 41-25 margin.
Game Notes
The Aztecs finished 15-1 at Viejas Arena this season ... Davis pulled down nine rebounds ... The Lobos shot 45.2 percent (19-of-42) from the field and 14.3 percent (2-of-14) from beyond the arc.
- Cassie Closed captioning and the mute button awaits you Pamela... :D
New Mexico(21) 48, San Diego State(10) 51 FinalMar 9 10:20 AM - NEW MEXICO: 48
SAN DIEGO STATE: 51
Final
Mar 9 1:09 AM - NEW MEXICO: 48
SAN DIEGO STATE: 51
End of Regulation
Mar 9 1:09 AM - 233
rootsRUWTbot Added 30 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 45, San Diego State(10) 46 2nd - 2:52Mar 9 12:58 AM - 203
rootsRUWTbot Added 10 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 42, San Diego State(10) 44 2nd - 4:59Mar 9 12:52 AM - 193
rootsRUWTbot Added 10 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 42, San Diego State(10) 42 2nd - 5:33Mar 9 12:49 AM - 183
rootsRUWTbot Added 10 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 42, San Diego State(10) 42 2nd - 5:53Mar 9 12:48 AM - 173
rootsRUWTbot Added 45 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 42, San Diego State(10) 40 2nd - 6:27Mar 9 12:48 AM - 128
rootsRUWTbot Added 71 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 42, San Diego State(10) 38 2nd - 6:45Mar 9 12:46 AM - NEW MEXICO: 26
SAN DIEGO STATE: 20
Halftime
Mar 8 11:58 PM - Pamela Shut up Reggie Miller! Why is he calling this game? Ugh, turn him off!
New Mexico(21) 22, San Diego State(10) 20 1st - 2:17Mar 8 11:48 PM - 47
rootsRUWTbot Added 6 roots (Upset, Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 22, San Diego State(10) 20 1st - 2:25Mar 8 11:47 PM - 41
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Upset, Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 20, San Diego State(10) 20 1st - 3:13Mar 8 11:47 PM - 33
rootsRUWTbot Took away 10 roots (Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 9, San Diego State(10) 11 1st - 12:44Mar 8 11:24 PM - 43
rootsRUWTbot Added 5 roots (Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 9, San Diego State(10) 6 1st - 15:17Mar 8 11:18 PM - 38
rootsRUWTbot Added 5 roots (Ranked Teams)
New Mexico(21) 5, San Diego State(10) 2 1st - 17:38Mar 8 11:16 PM - NEW MEXICO: 0
SAN DIEGO STATE: 0
1st Half - 20:00
Mar 8 11:13 PM
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