LAS VEGAS – NM State (2-2, 0-0 WAC) dropped its final game of the weekend as they succumbed to a hot-shooting UC Irvine (6-1, 0-0 Big West) team who finished the game knocking down over 58% of its three-pointers inside the Orleans Arena on Saturday night.
 
A large portion of NM State's offensive success came from the hands of Anthony Roy and DaJuan Gordon. Roy finished the night with a career-best 20 points as he knocked down six triples. Gordon concluded the evening just one rebound shy of his first double-double as an Aggie – tallying 14 points and nine boards.
 
As a team, the Aggies were limited to a season-low shooting percentage as they finished the night 22-of-59 to record a 35.7 clip. Meanwhile, UC Irvine managed a 49.2% success rate while knocking down 14 three-pointers on just 24 attempts.
 
UC Irvine's height also caused problems for the Aggie shooters as they rejected five shots to compile the most blocks for any Aggie opponent this season.
 
FIRST HALF

• Maybe in part due to playing in its second game in as many days, the Aggies struggled to get out of the gates in the championship game as UC Irvine leaped out to a 7-2 lead after connecting on three of its first four shot attempts.
• The Anteaters eventually worked their way to a 22-9 advantage with 11 to play before Marchelus Avery connected on back-to-back shots, including a hook shot over seven-footer Bent Leuchten.
• Despite shooting just 35.7% from the field, the Aggies would end the half on a high note as Deshawndre Washington drained a triple from the left wing to cut the lead to 18 going into the break.
• UC Irvine's shooting from the perimeter was the difference in the first half as they were successful on 11 of their 17 attempts from beyond the arc.

 
SECOND HALF

• The Aggies' emerged from the locker room with some energy to start the second half, beginning the second 20 minutes with a three-pointer from Xavier Pinson on the opening possession of the half.
• NM State would then put together a 14-7 run highlighted by a pair of threes from Anthony Roy who poured in four of his six threes in the second period. The Aggie burst would reduce the lead to eight points with 12:34 to play to put the Aggies within single digits for the first time since the 10:17 mark of the first half.
• The Anteaters would eventually push the margin back to 12 points before Pierre Crockrell rattled off a six-point run by himself to work the lead to 77-59. This would ultimately be the finishing blow as UC Irvine went on to win by 17 points.

 
NUMBERS OF NOTE

• Anthony Roy scored a career-best 20 points while also registering career-highs in rebounds (5), minutes (29) and three-point field goals (6).
• Xavier Pinson turned in his third-straight outing with double-digits in the score column, finishing with 10 points.
• UC Irvine managed single-game highs for any Aggie opponents in points (85), shooting percentage (49.2), three-pointers (14), blocks (5), field goals made (29), three-point percentage (58.3) and rebounds (37).

 
UP NEXT
NM State will return to the friendly confines of the Pan American Center on Wednesday when they host UTEP in the Battle of I-10. The mid-week matchup is set to get underway at 7 p.m.