BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — New Mexico State coach Chris Jans was within the hallway of KeyBank Middle getting ready his pregame speech as Richmond celebrated the day’s first victory by a No. 12 seed in a close-by locker room.
“I ended and watched them. It gave me chills to consider what that will really feel like for us,” he stated. “Was actually, actually hoping we’d get to really feel that as effectively.”
The Aggies did simply that.
Teddy Allen scored 37 factors and New Mexico State gained an NCAA Event recreation for the primary time virtually three a long time, upsetting fifth-seeded Connecticut 70-63 Thursday night time to turn out to be the second No. 12 seed to advance out of the primary spherical.
The Aggies (27-6) will face the winner of the Arkansas-Vermont recreation on Saturday within the West Area. In its twenty third NCAA look, the Aggies gained for the primary time since beating Syracuse within the first spherical in 1993.
“I do know our fanbase has not been hungry for it,” stated Jans, who's in his fifth season on the Las Cruces faculty. “They’ve been ravenous for it.
New Mexico State had not been again to Upstate New York since beating Syracuse within the Provider Dome. In Buffalo, Allen and the Aggies made one other reminiscence.
Allen hit a rainbow 3 off the dribble with 1:40 left within the second half to place New Mexico State up 61-58.
“I don’t really want to really feel like I’m in no zone,” Allen stated. “That’s simply how I play.”
He wasn’t accomplished. After R.J. Cole (20 factors) minimize the result in one for UConn (23-10), Allen went again to work.
“I’m a hooper, and proper now on the degree I’m at, that is the largest stage, and this would be the worst time to fold,” Allen stated.
The 6-foot-6 junior drove laborious to the basket and scooped it dwelling whereas drawing a foul. He popped off the ground and ran over to the sideline to flex for the Aggies’ followers earlier than finishing the three-point play for a 66-60 lead with 27 seconds left.
“The forms of photographs that he hits, a few of them have been unguardable,” UConn coach Dan Hurley stated.
The Western Athletic Convention champions adopted the event’s first 5-12 upset onto the ground. After Richmond eradicated Massive Ten champion Iowa, New Mexico State asserted itself in opposition to the Huskies from the Massive East.
Hurley known as Allen “a bucket” the day earlier than his workforce confronted the well-traveled scorer.
The West Virginia (and Wichita State, Nebraska and junior faculty) switch made a bunch of them in opposition to UConn after beginning the sport 0 for six.
Allen made his subsequent 5 to guide a closing 12-2 run that put the Aggies up 32-22 at halftime. He ended up taking virtually half of New Mexico State’s 50 photographs (24).
“He’s a foul shot-taker and he’s a foul shot-maker,” Jans stated.
The Aggies upped the result in as many as 14 early within the second half. UConn slowly clawed again and tied it 52 with 5:08 remaining. However the Huskies by no means led within the second half.
“We knew it was going to be a extremely, actually laborious recreation,” Hurley stated. “They clearly bought a efficiency from Teddy Allen at the moment that despatched us dwelling.”
Allen completed 4 for 7 from 3 and 13 for 13 on free throws.
“The person is a bucket,” Aggies ahead Jimmy McCants stated.
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