Utah Valley Loses After Crushing Buzzer-Beating Three Pointer
Feb 15, 2020, 7:37 PM | Updated: 10:36 pm
TJ Washington #3 of the Utah Valley Wolverines goes for the layup against the Grand Canyon Lopes during a semifinal game of the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 15, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Utah Valley Wolverines nearly picked up a massive road win over WAC-leading New Mexico State but the Aggies nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Wolverines 84-82.
NMSU hit a three-pointer to take a three-point lead with 1:19 remaining in the game. Utah Valley answered with a layup by T.J. Washington to trim the deficit to one point with 37 seconds left. Washington was fouled with six seconds left. After knocking down both free throws to take an 82-81 lead, Aggies guard Jabari Rice received the ball on a dribble handoff from Evan Gilyard on the left side and shot a contested three and banked it in off the glass as time expired.
"He banked it in!"
–@youngpbpAn 85-82 win for the Aggies tonight in the Pan Am! #AggieUp pic.twitter.com/oVKcsgQLkW
— NM State MBB (@NMStateMBB) February 16, 2020
Isaiah White led Utah Valley with 21 points on 3-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Casdon Jardine added 14 points and 6 rebounds. Both Jamison Overton and Brandon Averette chipped in 13 points and Washington finished with 11 points and 8 assists.
New Mexico State outscored the Wolverines 40-34 in the first half but Utah Valley dropped 48 points in the second half and limited the Aggies to 44 points.
Rice finished with a game-high 29 points and 8 rebounds on 8-12 shooting from the field and 4-5 from the three-point line. Ivan Aurrecoechea added 18 points and 5 boards.
Utah Valley dropped their record to 9-17 overall and 3-8 in WAC play and have lost the last four games. They will return to the UCCU Center on Thursday, February 20 to face CSU Bakersfield at 7 p.m. on the KSL TV app.
