New Mexico State beats UMKC 73-48, improves to 6-0 atop WAC

Jan 28, 2018, 02:13 pm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Zach Lofton scored 19 points and New Mexico State rolled to a 73-48 victory over UMKC on Saturday night to remain undefeated atop the Western Athletic Conference.

New Mexico State (18-3, 6-0) has won seven straight games since its five-point loss to Southern California in the title game of the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu on Dec. 25. UMKC (6-17, 1-5) has lost six of its last seven.

Lofton, a senior guard who averages 19.9 points per game, made four 3-pointers and was 6-of-17 shooting from the field. Jemerrio Jones and Eli Chuha each scored 10 points. The Aggies outrebounded UMKC 48-33, with Jones grabbing a game-high 15.

Xavier Bishop scored 12 points to lead the Kangaroos, who missed 23 shots from long range and finished 20 of 55 from the field.

New Mexico State scored 20 points in the final six minutes before the break for a 32-20 lead, and stretched it to 55-39 with 9:40 left.