SPOKANE, Wash. – NM State stayed within five points of No. 15 Gonzaga through the opening half, but a strong second-half performance by the Bulldogs handed the Aggies a 109-68 loss Saturday afternoon at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
Mark Lavrenov paced the Crimson & White with 19 points, finishing 5-for-11 from the field and 9-for-10 at the free-throw line for his second consecutive double-figure scoring performance.
DJ Dudley and
Jae'Coby Osborne each contributed 10 points, while Osborne and
Adrame Diongue shared the team lead with five rebounds apiece.
Gabe Pickens added a team-high five assists.
NM State kept things close in the first, shooting 55.6% from the field and making all nine of its free-throw attempts.
KK Robinson provided seven first-half points, including a triple and four free throws, while Lavrenov scored 12 before the break.
After Gonzaga stretched its advantage to 37-27, the Aggies worked their way back within one possession. A Lavrenov basket cut the deficit to 40-37 before Dudley buried a 3-pointer to bring NM State within two, 42-40, with 1:14 remaining. Lavrenov added a pair of late free throws as the Aggies entered halftime trailing 47-42.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with eight unanswered points before Osborne scored consecutive baskets, including a fastbreak dunk. Diongue followed with back-to-back buckets to trim the deficit to 59-50 with 15:51 to play.
Gonzaga pulled away down the stretch, shooting 61.8% in the second half while limiting NM State to six field goals after intermission. The Aggies finished the afternoon shooting 43.8% overall and converted 22 of their 24 free-throw attempts, a 91.7% clip.
For complete coverage of NM State men's basketball, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of the Aggies – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (
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