March 15, 2013
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By Mick McGrane
goaztecs.com
LAS VEGAS --- As a rule, speed kills.
As an aside, so does size.
The No. 1 seed New Mexico men's basketball team proved too tall of an order for San Diego State Friday night, turning back the Aztecs 60-50 in the semifinals of the 2013 Reese's Mountain West Championship at the Thomas & Mack Center.
In a game in which Lobos 7-foot center Alex Kirk and 6-9 forward Cameron Bairstow combined for 31 points and 18 rebounds, SDSU found itself on a slippery slope in an uphill climb, falling short of advancing to the title game for a record fifth consecutive season.
"We're going home," said Aztecs coach Steve Fisher. "We had a goal to be playing on Saturday, where we'd been the last four years, and we're not. So it hurts; it should hurt.
"The good news is we'll live to play next week (in the NCAA Tournament). And I do believe we'll be good enough when we suit up next week for somebody."
Paired against the Lobos for a third time this season, SDSU clawed back from a 21-point deficit to close the gap to 55-46 with 4:38 left.
Yet an Aztecs team that limited New Mexico to just 34 points (a record-low in the shot clock era) on Jan. 26 was unable to overcome a 24-4 run that led to a 43-22 Lobo lead with 3:44 gone in the second half.
New Mexico junior guard Tony Snell (game-high 17 points) played a major role in the run, connecting on four of his five three-pointers --- including three straight --- in final 20 minutes.
"This sport is really funny in terms of scores," Fisher said. "Sometimes you can do everything right, but you can't make a basket. Then you don't look good. In our first game, they scored 34 points. They were a good team when they came into our building. They didn't play particularly well, and I think we had something to do with it.
"I think when you're always churning and chasing from behind, that adds exponentially to the the stress that you feel. And if you try too hard, especially at the offensive end, it can show."
The task ahead is, of course, is to regroup rather than rue. Despite the loss, SDSU is still en route to its fourth NCAA Tournament in four years, a distinction that can be claimed by only one other team in the league --- UNLV. The Aztecs, who are 23-8 in their last 31 games played in March, entered Friday's contest with the seventh-highest winning percentage nationally in March games since 2009.
Senior guard Chase Tapley and junior guard Xavier Thames shared team-high honors for SDSU with 14 points apiece. Both have finished in double figures in four straight games. Meanwhile, junior guard Jamaal Franklin, an All-MW first-team selection, collected a game-high 12 rebounds, the 24th time he has led the team in that category.
"San Diego State is a seasoned team, much like our locker room," said New Mexico coach Steve Alford. "They've had a lot of winning, so they understand winning. You get them in a national tournament site, you're going to have to play awfully well to beat San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament."