Box Score

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The University of Hawai`i men's basketball team fought to the end before eventually falling to New Mexico State, 82-72, Saturday night at the Pan American Center. The Rainbow Warriors dropped to 10-11 overall and 2-7 in the Western Athletic Conference.

 

The 'Bows had their highest scoring output in WAC play, but were unable to keep up with the Aggies (11-11, 5-4), the league's top-scoring offense. NMSU also entered as the league's top three-point shooting team and they were true to form, burying 8-14 beyond the arc. UH dropped to 1-5 on the road this year and remained winless in four all-time trips to Las Cruces.

 

The game pitted the league's top leading scorers in NMSU's Jahmar Young and UH's Roderick Flemings. Fleming finished with a game-high 27 points, while also adding six rebounds and four assists. Young countered with 25 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor and a perfect 8-of-8 from the line.

 

Bill Amis scored a season 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds for UH in the loss. Jonathan Gibson scored 14 points for the Aggies, while Gordo Castillo added a career-high 12 points off the bench. Castillo proved a huge factor for New Mexico, scoring all of his points in the second half, including 4-of-4 from three-point land.

 

The first half was a back-and-forth affair with five ties and three lead changes. UH got off to a strong start, hitting its first four shots and the game was tied, 26-26, with a little more than four minutes remaining in the half. The Aggies, however, created a cushion with a 13-5 run to take a 39-31 lead into the locker room.

 

UH trailed by just five points five minutes into the second half, until Castillo hit back-to-back treys to extend the Aggies' lead to 11 points. UH continued to stay within striking distance throughout the game, but could never get closer than seven points.

 

New Mexico State shot 48 percent from the floor to UH's 38 percent and out-rebounded the Rainbow Warriors, 38-36.

 

The 'Bows now return to Honolulu for three straight home games, beginning with a their first meeting of the year versus Fresno State on Thursday, Feb. 5.  Tip-off is 7:05 p.m. at the Stan Sherriff Center.