Aggies hold off Grand Canyon again

PHOENIX — Eli Chuha registered 15 points and seven rebounds as New Mexico State won its ninth straight game, edging past Grand Canyon 67-64 on Saturday night.

Terrell Brown had 12 points for New Mexico State (20-4, 9-1 Western Athletic Conference). AJ Harris added 11 points. Trevelin Queen had seven rebounds for the visiting team.

Michael Finke had 16 points and five assists for the Antelopes (14-9, 7-3). Damari Milstead added 12 points. Alessandro Lever had 11 points.

The victory puts New Mexico State up two games on the rest of the WAC field with six games to play.

The Aggies improve to 2-0 against the Antelopes for the season. New Mexico State defeated Grand Canyon 77-75 at home on Jan. 10 on the shot from beyond half court by Johnny McCants.

New Mexico State faces Utah Valley at home on Thursday in what begins a four-game home

stand. Grand Canyon takes on UMKC on the road on Thursday.

Brown got all 12 of his points on four straight 3-point attempts in a span of 5:19 to give NMSU a 62-53 lead with 3:15 left.

Grand Canyon, however, scored the next six points and trailed 62-59 with 1:54 to go.

After a free throw to make it 63-59, Lever rattled in a 3-pointer to make it 63-62 with 1:24 left to go. From that point on, Chuha iced the game the game with four free throws.

Queen, who gave the Aggies a jolt of energy at the 7:45 mark of the first half with a put-back jam, was a factor late in the contest also. Five of his rebounds came on the offensive end.