GCU Falls to WAC Preseason Favorite New Mexico State

Saturday, January 4

GCU Arena

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-9, 1-1

New Mexico State

12-5, 1-0

New Mexico State

Grand Canyon

Jerome Garrison had a career-best 25 points

Photo by: Darryl Webb

1/4/2014 9:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Garrison establishes new career-high for second straight game

The Grand Canyon University men's basketball team (6-9, 1-1) fell to visiting New Mexico State (12-5, 1-0) tonight at GCU Arena in front of a record 4,977 fans in attendance. The Aggies, who have now won five straight games, were selected as the preseason Western Athletic Conference favorite in both the coaches and media polls earlier this season.

Click here for Michael Potter's postgame interview with head coach Dan Majerle.

NMSU shot 50.9 percent in the game (28-for-55), which included nine baskets from beyond the arc. The Antelopes went 23-for-57 from the field (40.4 percent) as they dropped their first home game of the season. The loss was also just the third for the 'Lopes at GCU Arena since its opening for the 2011-12 season.

Jerome Garrison established a new career-high for the second consecutive game, this time with 25 points. Daniel Alexander and Sam Daly also scored in double-figures for GCU, adding 11 points and 10 points, respectively. Daly's point total marked a new career-high for the freshman.

The Aggies outrebounded GCU, 41-25, which led to 19 second chance points. However, the 'Lopes were able to capitalize on 11 NMSU turnovers by scoring 13 points on those opportunities.

Both teams were hot from the field to open the game, shooting over 50.0 percent in the first six minutes. Despite the sharp shooting for GCU, the Aggies found themselves ahead, 21-10, following a 10-2 run that began with 14:48 on the clock.

The 'Lopes used an 8-1 run of their own, highlighted by an impressive Alexander dunk, to make it a four-point game, 22-18, with just over nine minutes to play. However, NMSU built that advantage back to double figures following an Ian Baker three-pointer with 7:45 to play, and claimed their largest lead of the half (14 points) almost two minutes later.

The Aggies would carry that 14-point lead into the half, 45-31, after going 18-for-34 from the field (52.9 percent) over the first 20 minutes, including draining half of their three-point attempts (8-for-16). The 'Lopes shot 46.2 percent from the floor (12-for-26), led by Garrison's 16 points. Alexander added six points and six rebounds at the half.

The teams were even with 18 points in the paint in the first half, while the Aggies held the advantage in rebounds, 20-13, which led to eight second chance points.

After GCU closed the gap to single digits in the opening minutes of the second half, the Aggies quickly built their lead to 19 points, 61-42, with 11:44 remaining. The closest the 'Lopes would come for the remainder of the contest was 13 points.

The 22-point victory for the Aggies marked just the third time this season that the 'Lopes have lost by more than 12 points.

The 'Lopes will now hit the road for a pair of WAC games, beginning with an 8 p.m. contest at CSU Bakersfield on Thursday, Jan. 9. Fans can follow the action live by tuning in to KKNT 960 AM and www.960thepatriot.com.

NMSU 84, GCU 62