Aggies clinch berth

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – When Reggie Theus took over New Mexico State, the Aggies were a ragtag bunch. Now they’re looking as sharp as their dapperly dressed coach.

Justin Hawkins scored 20 points and Elijah Ingram had 18 points, including four rainbow 3-pointers, to lead New Mexico State (25-8) to a 72-70 win over Utah State (23-11) Saturday night for the Western Athletic Conference title and a berth in the NCAAs.

A smiling Theus, dressed in a dark pinstripe suit, lime-colored tie and neatly tucked hanky, raised his arms in triumph after the final buzzer.

“I don’t want to sound too cocky, but I knew what kind of players we had when we came in,” said Theus, the former NBA All-Star and Rick Pitino assistant who took over the program after the Aggies went 6-24 in 2004-05, the school’s worst season in 39 years.

New Mexico State’s Ted Knauber stepped in front of Kris Clark’s pass as Utah State was trying for a potential winning or tying shot.

Knauber made the steal, was fouled and made two free throws with 12.2 seconds left to make the score 72-68.

“When you look at his numbers (10 points), they don’t reflect how big he was for us tonight,” Theus said of Knauber.

Utah State’s Jaycee Carroll hit a layup with 2 seconds left and New Mexico State gave Utah State one last chance when Tyrone Nelson threw a long inbounds pass that wasn’t touched. Utah State got the ball back under its basket with 1.6 seconds left and Carroll, under pressure, was short on a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“We ran a play that we run a lot, a fadeaway, jump straight up and shoot it,” Carroll said.

Carroll scored 26 points and Durrall Peterson 15 for Utah State, which beat No. 10 Nevada in Friday’s semifinals.