Western Athletic Conference Tournament Recaps

Las Vegas, NV (SportsNetwork.com) – Holton Hunsaker scored 24 points and dished out seven assists as the Utah Valley Wolverines routed the Texas-Pan American Broncos 83-63 in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals at Orleans Arena.

Mitch Bruneel tallied 18 points and Keawe Enos chipped in 12 for top-seed Utah Valley (20-10), which will face Idaho in the semifinals. Ben Aird cleared 13 points and chipped in eight points for the Wolverines.

Shaquille Boga netted 21 points to pace Texas-Pan American (9-23), the eighth- seed. Hurley Johnson had 16 points and Shaquille Hines finished with 14.

The Wolverines were unstoppable in the first half, sinking 80 percent from the floor, including 7-of-9 from 3-point range. The Broncos fell behind 51-25 at the break, shooting just 40.7 percent.

Utah Valley coasted to the win by netting 57.9 percent from the field in the second half.

The Wolverines absolutely dominated the glass, holding a 34-14 advantage in rebounds.

Final Score: Idaho 73, UMKC 70

Las Vegas, NV (SportsNetwork.com) – Stephen Madison scored 26 points and collected 17 rebounds as the Idaho Vandals held on for a 73-70 victory over the UMKC Kangaroos in the quarterfinals of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament at Orleans Arena.

Sekou Wiggs added 18 points and Glen Dean had 14 points and six assists for the fifth-seeded Vandals (15-17), who advance to play top-seed Utah Valley in the semifinals.

Martez Harrison led the way for UMKC (10-20) with 18 points, Nelson Kirksey tacked on 15 points and Fred Chatmon netted 12.

A tight first half ended with UMKC on top 30-29. The Kangaroos shot at a 42.3 percent clip, compared to the 34.8 percent effort turned in by Idaho. However, the Vandals remained close by sinking 5-of-12 from 3-point range.

UMKC heated up to 54.2 percent shooting in the second frame, while Idaho moved to 47.8 percent. The Vandals were able to get past the Kangaroos by knocking down 19-of-26 at the free-throw line, including 6-of-8 in the final three minutes.

UMKC lost despite outscoring Idaho in the paint (28-21) and off of turnovers (18-12). The Vandals won the battle of the boards (37-26).

Final Score: CS-Bakersfield 68, Chicago State 62

Las Vegas, NV (SportsNetwork.com) – Issiah Grayson erupted for a game-high 29 points as the Roadrunners of Cal State Bakersfield captured a 68-62 win over the Chicago State Cougars in the quarterfinals of the 31st annual Western Athletic Conference Tournament at Orleans Arena.

Grayson made good on all but one of his 15 opportunities at the free-throw line for the sixth-seeded Roadrunners (13-18) in the victory. Aly Ahmed registered a double-double for Bakersfield with 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, followed by Stefon Johnson with 12 points and nine boards off the bench.

The third-seeded Cougars (13-19) were led by Nate Duhon with his 19 points and eight boards, followed by Clarke Rosenberg who tallied 14 points as a reserve before fouling out.

Chicago State led by as many as seven points in the first half, due to the fact that the Roadrunners shot only 38.5 percent from the field and missed all eight chances behind the 3-point line in the period, yet it was Bakersfield that led by three at the break, 36-33.

In the second half both sides made a mere eight field goals, including three attempts from behind the 3-point line, so it came down to a 13-10 edge at the free-throw line for the Roadrunners that kept them out in front.

In a meeting that featured seven ties and 12 lead changes, the Roadrunners overcome 17 turnovers by producing a 29-12 scoring margin at the charity stripe.

With the victory the Roadrunners now move to the semifinals on Friday night to face New Mexico State for the right to take part in the title game Saturday night.

Final Score: New Mexico State 70, Seattle 68

Las Vegas, NV (SportsNetwork.com) – Sim Bhullar logged a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds, adding five blocked shots, as the New Mexico State Aggies held on to defeat the Seattle Redhawks, 70-68, in the quarterfinals of the 31st annual Western Athletic Conference Tournament at Orleans Arena.

Also scoring in double figures for second-seeded New Mexico State (24-9), the two-time defending tournament champion, were DK Eldridge and Tshilidzi Nephawe with 19 and 15 points, respectively.

The seventh-seeded Redhawks (13-17) were paced by Isiah Umipig with a game- high 25 points, but he shot just 9-of-27 from the floor, including 5-of-16 behind the 3-point line. Jack Crook registered a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, followed by D’Vonne Pickett Jr. with 10 points and six of the team’s eight assists.

NMSU had trouble finding the basket in the first half, converting just eight total field goals, but thanks to a near-perfect 14-of-15 showing at the free- throw line in the frame, the Aggies trailed by just two at the break, 33-31.

In the second half New Mexico State again took advantage at the charity stripe (11-of-14), in addition to connecting on 54.2 percent from the floor in order to hold on for the victory.

Seattle managed to force 16 turnovers on the night, exchanged for 15 points, but that still was not enough to overcome a 25-11 deficit at the free-throw line.

The Aggies will be back in action on Friday night in the semifinals against Cal State Bakersfield, which defeated Chicago State earlier on Thursday, 68-62.

Categorized in: NCAA Basketball