NMSU faces Grand Canyon in WAC finals

Published Mar. 13, 2021 9:30 a.m. ET

Associated Press

No. 3 seed New Mexico State (12-7, 9-6) vs. No. 1 seed Grand Canyon (16-6, 10-3)

Western Athletic Conference Tourney Championship, Orleans Arena, Paradise, Nevada; Saturday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: New Mexico State and Grand Canyon are prepared to face off in the Championship of the WAC tournament. Grand Canyon won both of the regular season matchups earlier this season. The teams last met on Jan. 30, when the Antelopes shot 48.1 percent from the field while holding New Mexico State to just 36.5 percent en route to a 12-point victory.

SUPER SENIORS: New Mexico State has relied heavily on its seniors. Jabari Rice, Donnie Tillman, Johnny McCants, Clayton Henry and Evan Gilyard II have collectively accounted for 67 percent of the team's scoring this year and 56 percent of all Aggies points over the last five games.

CREATING OFFENSE: Jovan Blacksher Jr. has accounted for 40 percent of all Grand Canyon field goals over the last five games. The sophomore guard has 19 field goals and 31 assists in those games.

ASSIST RATIOS: The Antelopes have recently used assists to create baskets more often than the Aggies. Grand Canyon has an assist on 40 of 78 field goals (51.3 percent) over its previous three contests while New Mexico State has assists on 38 of 75 field goals (50.7 percent) during its past three games.

STINGY DEFENSE: Grand Canyon has held opposing teams to 61.3 points per game this year, the ninth-lowest figure among all Division I teams.

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