HoopsHD continues its series leading up to Selection Sunday and March Madness, as we simulate what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t). Up next is the last of the conference tournaments, the WAC. New Mexico State was perfect during the regular season against WAC competition and was looking to add three more wins en route to an NCAA Tournament bid. Would the Aggies get that bid, or would someone else surprise them? It is time to find out!
WAC QUARTERFINALS
Dayton and New Mexico State were the only two teams in the nation to go undefeated in conference regular season play this year. Unlike Dayton, however, the New Mexico State Aggies would need an automatic bid, and would have to win 3 games in 3 days in Las Vegas, to advance to the NCAA Tournament. Up first in the quarterfinals was 8-seed Chicago State, and the Aggies rolled 76-61 behind 18 points from Jabari Rice. The day’s second quarterfinal saw Thunder Dan Majerle’s Grand Canyon Antelopes get knocked out of the tournament by the Kansas City ‘Roos, 69-57, in a game that was not even as close as the final score. As the game ended, the rumors began to swirl even more over whether Thunder Dan would be back next season.
The evening games started with 2-seed UTRGV taking on 7-seed Bakersfield. Despite being a 2 vs 7 game, the teams were only separated by a few games in the final conference standings. This made it not much of a shocker when Bakersfield pulled off the 78-71 upset, overcoming a 7-point halftime deficit along the way. In the late game, it was 6-seed Utah Valley upending 3-seed Seattle 81-66 behind 17 points each from TJ Washington and Casdon Jardine.
WAC SEMIFINALS
Up next for New Mexico State was the Kansas City ‘Roos, a team that, if they lost, would be playing in their final ever WAC game as the school was set to return to the Summit League next season. There was not going be a final celebratory moment on the way out for Kansas City, as the Aggies took care of business, opening a 6-point halftime lead and winning by a final score of 75-65. Trevelin Queen led his team in scoring, dropping 17 points for NMSU. One game was left between New Mexico State and perfection in the WAC this season – Saturday night’s championship game.
The Bakersfield Roadrunners were also on their way out of the WAC after this season, with a spot in the Big West Conference waiting for the school next year. Unlike Kansas City, however, the ‘Runners were not quite done with WAC play yet, as they turned a 3-point halftime deficit into an 86-81 win over the Wolverines of Utah Valley. Greg Lee was the standout star in this game, scoring 19 points for Bakersfield. The Roadrunners, whose 2016 WAC Tourney title was the only one by a team not named New Mexico State over the past seven years, were back in the championship game for one final time.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIP
It was top-seed New Mexico State against 7-seed Bakersfield for the WAC Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. New Mexico State was looking to make it 7 out of 8 seasons in the Big Dance while the Roadrunners wanted to leave the WAC with a bang, knocking off the mighty Aggies. Although Bakersfield played with a ton of heart, and was able to stay within striking distance the entire night, it was clear that New Mexico State was the better team, and in the end they cut down the nets as WAC Champions again, winning 72-62. Jabari Rice shone in this game for NMSU, dropping 24 points including going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, to lead his team to perfection against WAC competition this year and a spot in the Big Dance.
