New Mexico State has been rolling through the WAC once again. But could a surprising team in Utah Valley actually pull off the upset?
TV schedule: Saturday, Jan. 20, 6:00 p.m. ET. ESPN3
Arena: Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico
Few teams have dominated a conference in recent years like New Mexico State 16-3 (4-0) have in the WAC. The Aggies have been the conference representative in the NCAA tournament in all but one season in the current reformation of the league and are the heavy favorite to do so again.
Chris Jan’s team has won its first four games, including a road win at who was expected to be their toughest competitor, Grand Canyon. The last game the Aggies played was a win over an improved Seattle team, after racing out to a 15 point halftime lead. Zach Lofton, the team’s leading scorer at just under 20 ppg, had 15 points to lead the way. Jemerrio Jones, one of the top rebounders in the country, had another double-double in the win.
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After winning at Grand Canyon, it was expected to be another easy route to the WAC regular-season title. But another foe has emerged and has the players to potentially make things interesting against the Aggies.
After playing both Duke and Kentucky in back-to-back games to open the season known as the “toughest 24” Utah Valley 15-5 (4-0) has shown that those gritty performances weren’t flukes, but rather indicators of a program on the rise.
Just like New Mexico State, the Wolverines have also won their first four league games, with the latest being an 84-76 win over Texas-Rio Grande Valley. BYU transfer guard Cooner Toolson led the way with 23 points while Kenneth Ogbe had 17. Point guard Brandon Randolph dished out 12 assists and as a team made 10 three-pointers.
But what makes this team extra dangerous is the addition of former Oklahoma Sooner Akolda Manyang. The 7’0 center had 15 and 12 in his last game, and very few players in the league can deal with his one-on-one.
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Both teams are high-powered offenses and have a number of players who can score 10+ points on a given night. But with the game being at New Mexico and the Wolverines struggling against teams with both athleticism and size, the safe pick is the Aggies. However, don’t be shocked if the game is tight in the final minutes.
Prediction: New Mexico State 83 – Utah Valley 75