Box Score
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., December 16, 2006 --  New Mexico came into Saturday’s game trying to recover from a 32-point defeat to its arch-rival, the New Mexico State Aggies, by trying to defeat what it thought would be an easier time against another form of Aggies.

Instead, the Lobos almost took their second straight loss to an Aggies team. But the North Carolina A&T Aggies men’s basketball team couldn’t quite get over the hump in an 86-78 loss to New Mexico.

Junior guard Steven Rush led the way for the Aggies with 28 points on 6-for-12 shooting from 3-point range. It was the most points he has scored in his collegiate career, dating back to his time at UNC-Asheville.  Junior forward Jason Wills added 19 points and seven rebounds. The Lobos were led by Chad Toppert’s 20 points on 6-for-10 shooting from 3-point range. Tony Danridge added 17 points and six boards.

"On a neutral court I think we beat this team,’’ said N.C. A&T head coach Jerry Eaves. “We have to learn when it’s winning time on the road, win the game. It was a good game that we could have won if we don’t make mistakes down the stretch."

After taking a four-point lead – 37-33 – into the locker room at the half, a Steven Rush 3-pointer pushed the Aggies lead to 46-41 at the 15:36 mark of the second half.  The Lobos 6-foot-8 center Daniel Faris answered with a bucket in the paint, and Jamal Smith took advantage of an offensive rebound by Faris to knock down a three to tie the game at 46.

Aggies forward Walter Booth, who had a career-high six assists, found Jason Wills cutting to the basket for a layup that gave the Aggies the lead back at 48-46. But Smith raced down court and squared up for his second consecutive three that put the Lobos back up one, 49-48 with 14:03 to play. The Lobos would never trail again, building their lead to as many as 10 in the second half.

But this would not be a case of a school from a major conference dominating a school from a smaller one. Down eight with 7:13 to play, Aggies guard Trahern Chaplin followed a Wills miss with a tip-in to cut the Lobos lead to 68-62.

Following two Lobo free throws, Austin Ewing hit a three from the top of the key to put the Aggies down just five, 70-65, with 6:12 to play. Danridge answered with a driving layup to the basket and costly turnover by the Aggies in the halfcourt led to Smith’s third 3-pointer of the second half to push the lead back to 10 with 5:20 to play.

The Aggies were able to get the lead back down to five with under a minute to play thanks to a Wills dunk and Rush three. But the Lobos converted on their free throw attempts to put the game away.

“They picked up their intensity in the second half,’’ Eaves said about the Lobos. “We did an excellent job of passing the ball on the perimeter, which was to our advantage, but it should have produced a win for us.”

With Lobos superstar J.R. Giddens on the bench, the Aggies shot 48 percent from the floor and hit five threes. They went on an 11-2 run to end the half. Giddens had eight points and six boards in the second half.

“His presence effected us a little bit because he is a good player,’’ said Eaves. “But truly it wasn’t a factor. We win this game if we execute down the stretch.”