McCants, Aggies rout Tarleton St.
NMSU men to make up game Tuesday vs. UTRGV
STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Johnny McCants scored 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, and New Mexico State ( (7-6, 4-5 WAC)) shot 58 percent from the field in drubbing the Tarleton State Texans (7-10, 2-7) in Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball
C.J. Roberts also racked up 14 points and a career-high 5 assists, while Marcus Watson added a career-high 12 points for the Aggies. Donnie Tillman had seven rebounds. Shamir Bogues had 14 points for the Texans. Montre’ Gipson added 12 points. Freddy Hicks had six rebounds.
New Mexico State dled 41-23 at the break. The Texans’ 23 first-half points marked a season low for the team. The two teams play again Saturday at 6 p.m.
■ The Aggies announced late Friday that they are making up one of two scheduled games lost at UT Rio Grande Valley (9-4, 2-0) on Jan. 22-23 due to COVID issues within the New Mexico State program. NMSU and UTRGV will tip off Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso.
No. 21 LOYOLA CHICAGO 60, SOUTHERN ILL. 52: In Chicago, Marquise Kennedy scored 16 points as the Ramblers (20-4, 15-2 Missouri Valley) reached 20 wins for the fourth straight year, a streak that started when the 2017-18 Final Four team went 32-6. Steven Verplancken led Southern Illinois (11-12, 5-12) with 17 points.
UTAH STATE 75, NEVADA 72: In Logan, Utah, Justin Bean had 19 points and Neemias Queta added 16 points to lead the Aggies (15-7, 12-4 Mountain West). Desmond Cambridge Jr. had 23 points for the Wolf Pack (14-8, 9-6), whose four-game winning streak came to an end.
Women
TARLETON STATE 62, NMSU 53: In El Paso’s Eastwood High, Tarleton State (8-12, 3-6 Western Athletic Conference) committed 30 turnovers, shot 29 percent from the field and still handled the Aggies (5-11, 3-6). The two teams play the back end of their two-game set there on Saturday at 1 p.m.
NMSU shot 25 percent from the field and was whistled for 38 fouls, leading to a 36-for46 performance from the line by Tarleton State. After an 11-11 first quarter, the visitors scored the first eight points in the second quarter and kept the lead throughout.
No. 10 UCLA 93, USC 51: In Los Angeles, Charisma Osborne had the ninth tripledouble in UCLA history, Michaela Onyenwere scored 30 points and the Bruins (14-4, 12-4 Pac-12) made 16 3-pointers. Alissa Pili led USC (10-11, 8-10) with 18 points
NO. 22 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 73, UMKC 53: In Brookiings, S.D., Paiton Burckhard and Tylee Irwin each scored 19 points and the Jackrabbits (20-2, 13-0) clinched the Summit League regular-season title with their 17th straight win. RaVon Nero and Mandy Willems each scored 11 points for UMKC (10-10, 7-7).