AGGIE ATHLETICS
Shockers are 7-6 but getting healthy
New Mexico State athletic director Mario Moccia can point to several accomplishments in his first year on the job, but much is yet to be done.
WICHITA, Kan. — New Mexico State’s men’s basketball team ends its brief holiday break with three games over six days, the first of which is tonight at Wichita State.
It may be just the wrong time for the 7-6 Aggies to catch the 7-6 Shockers, who are getting healthier after an injuryplagued start. They romped past Nevada 98-69 in their last outing last Tuesday.
Wichita State All-America candidate Fred VanVleet is rounding back into form after missing four games. The 6-footer averages 11.6 points per game, behind leading scorer and fellow senior guard Ron Baker (15.9 points, 4.2 rebounds). Forward Anton Grady (6-8 senior) also missed four games but is back.
The Aggies last played last Wednesday, losing 85-70 at No. 23 Baylor despite 26 points and 10 rebounds from 6-9 sophomore Pascal Siakam.
It’s the 30th meeting between the two schools, with the Shockers leading the series 15-14. NMSU opened the 2014-15 season at Wichita State and fell 71-54. NMSU collects $125,000 for tonight’s outing, the Las Cruces Sun-News
reports.
FRESNO STATE 89, PACIFIC
UNION 46: In Fresno, Calif., Julien Lewis scored 14 points and Fresno State put seven players in double figures in an 89-46 win over NAIA Pacific Union on Sunday.
Karachi Edo had 12 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Bulldogs (9-4), who open Mountain West play Wednesday at UNLV and host the New Mexico Lobos on Saturday.
NMSU WOMEN: The 9-2 Aggies play Vanderbilt on Tuesday in a first-round game of the Fordham Holiday classic in New York. NMSU plays Fordham or Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday.
Top 25 men
No. 4 MARYLAND 87, MARSHALL 67: In College Park, Md., Robert Carter scored 19 points, Diamond Stone tied his career high with 16 and the Terrapins (11-1) hit a seasonhigh 13 3-pointers on Sunday to win their fifth straight game.
Rasheed Sulaimon added 14 points for Maryland, which begins its Big Ten schedule on Wednesday against Penn State.
Top 25 women
No. 5 TEXAS 83, SAM HOUSTON STATE 49: In Austin, Texas, Lashann Higgs scored 17 points as the 11-0 Longhorns rolled. Rio Rancho’s Sara Hattis came off the bench for nine points in 14 minutes for Texas.
Shernise Robertson led Sam Houston (4-6) with 16 points but converted only 4 of 14 shots from the field.