New Mexico fends off San Diego State 68-61 for MWC title, automatic berth in NCAA Tournament
LAS VEGAS (AP) Jaelen House had 28 points, Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 21 and JT Toppin posted a double-double to propel sixth-seeded New Mexico to a 68-61 victory over No. 5 seed San Diego State in the championship game of the Mountain West Conference Tournament on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center, earning the Lobos an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
New Mexico (26-9) had already made history by becoming the first team in the conference to win three games to reach the final. The Lobos won all three games by double digits and trailed for a total of 42 seconds. They were on the short end for just 6:38 against the Aztecs.
House had 15 points and Mashburn scored 13 to lead New Mexico to a 36-30 advantage at halftime. The Lobos led by as many as 14 and never trailed before intermission. Jaedon Ledee had a three-point play and scored five to spark a 10-2 run to close out the half for San Diego State (24-10).
New Mexico stayed in front in the second half until Reese Waters followed a three-point play with a 3-pointer to give the Aztecs a 44-43 lead with 12:12 remaining. The lead changed hands six times until Ledee made four straight free throws to put the Lobos up 54-51 with eight minutes left.
San Diego State took a 59-57 lead on two Ledee foul shots before House hit a pair to tie it. Toppin had a rebound basket for the lead and a layup and House added a three-point play in a victory-clinching 8-0 spurt and New Mexico led 67-59 with 36 seconds left.
House made 10 of 22 shots with three 3-pointers for the Lobos, adding five rebounds and three steals. Mashburn hit 6 of 16 shots with three 3-pointers. Toppin totaled 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Ledee finished with 25 points - going 11 for 11 at the free-throw line - for the Aztecs. Ledee sank 7 of 12 shots, while his teammates made just 13 of 44.
New Mexico won the tournament for the first time since it made its last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014. It will be the school's 16th appearance in the event.
San Diego State, last season's national runners-up to UConn, upset top-seeded and 18th-ranked Utah State to reach the final.
---
Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here --- AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | JT Toppin vs. Jaedon LeDee (Nelly Junior Joseph gains possession) | |||
19:43 | Jay Pal blocks Nelly Junior Joseph's two point layup | |||
19:41 | Nelly Junior Joseph offensive rebound | |||
19:41 | Nelly Junior Joseph misses two point putback layup | |||
19:39 | Lobos offensive rebound | |||
19:29 | +2 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. makes two point jump shot (JT Toppin assists) | 2-0 | |
18:59 | Lamont Butler misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
18:57 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. defensive rebound | |||
18:41 | Donovan Dent turnover (bad pass) (Jaedon LeDee steals) | |||
18:34 | Jaedon LeDee turnover (lost ball) (Jaelen House steals) | |||
18:31 | +2 | Jaelen House makes two point layup | 4-0 | |
18:10 | +2 | Micah Parrish makes two point stepback jump shot (Lamont Butler assists) | 4-2 | |
17:58 | +2 | Nelly Junior Joseph makes two point layup (Donovan Dent assists) | 6-2 | |
17:41 | +3 | Darrion Trammell makes three point jump shot (Jaedon LeDee assists) | 6-5 | |
17:18 | Nelly Junior Joseph misses two point layup | |||
17:15 | Lobos offensive rebound | |||
17:15 | Jemarl Baker Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Darrion Trammell steals) | |||
17:00 | Jemarl Baker Jr. blocks Lamont Butler's two point layup | |||
16:58 | Jemarl Baker Jr. defensive rebound | |||
16:46 | +2 | Nelly Junior Joseph makes two point hook shot | 8-5 | |
16:26 | Darrion Trammell misses two point jump shot | |||
16:24 | Jay Pal offensive rebound | |||
16:24 | +2 | Jay Pal makes two point putback dunk | 8-7 | |
16:02 | +2 | JT Toppin makes two point turnaround hook shot | 10-7 | |
15:40 | Darrion Trammell misses three point jump shot | |||
15:38 | Jemarl Baker Jr. defensive rebound | |||
15:38 | Micah Parrish personal foul (Jaelen House draws the foul) | |||
15:38 | TV timeout | |||
15:20 | Jaelen House misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
15:17 | Lobos offensive rebound | |||
15:07 | Nelly Junior Joseph misses two point jump shot | |||
15:05 | JT Toppin offensive rebound | |||
15:04 | JT Toppin misses two point tip layup | |||
15:02 | Darrion Trammell defensive rebound | |||
14:47 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. shooting foul (Jay Pal draws the foul) | |||
14:47 | +1 | Jay Pal makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-8 | |
14:47 | Jay Pal misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
14:47 | JT Toppin defensive rebound | |||
14:23 | Jaelen House misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
14:21 | Darrion Trammell defensive rebound | |||
14:11 | Jay Pal turnover (bad pass) (Jamal Mashburn Jr. steals) | |||
13:48 | +3 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jaelen House assists) | 13-8 | |
13:31 | Jump ball. Jaedon LeDee vs. Jamal Mashburn Jr. (Aztecs gains possession) | |||
13:22 | Reese Waters turnover (traveling) | |||
13:10 | +2 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. makes two point driving layup | 15-8 | |
13:10 | Jaedon LeDee shooting foul (Jamal Mashburn Jr. draws the foul) | |||
13:10 | +1 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 16-8 | |
12:58 | Elijah Saunders misses three point jump shot | |||
12:56 | Miles Byrd offensive rebound | |||
12:44 | Mustapha Amzil blocks Lamont Butler's two point driving layup | |||
12:42 | Jaelen House defensive rebound | |||
12:38 | Miles Byrd blocks Jaelen House's two point layup | |||
12:36 | Reese Waters defensive rebound | |||
12:30 | Reese Waters misses three point jump shot | |||
12:28 | Jaelen House defensive rebound | |||
12:25 | Miles Byrd shooting foul (Nelly Junior Joseph draws the foul) | |||
12:25 | Nelly Junior Joseph misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
12:25 | Nelly Junior Joseph misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
12:25 | Reese Waters defensive rebound | |||
12:03 | Miles Byrd turnover (bad pass) (Jaelen House steals) | |||
11:57 | Jaelen House misses three point jump shot | |||
11:55 | Jaedon LeDee defensive rebound | |||
11:49 | Nelly Junior Joseph personal foul (Jaedon LeDee draws the foul) | |||
11:49 | TV timeout | |||
11:39 | +3 | Lamont Butler makes three point jump shot (Jaedon LeDee assists) | 16-11 | |
11:13 | +2 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. makes two point pullup jump shot (Donovan Dent assists) | 18-11 | |
10:54 | +2 | Elijah Saunders makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | 18-13 | |
10:34 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
10:32 | Reese Waters defensive rebound | |||
10:20 | Mustapha Amzil shooting foul (Lamont Butler draws the foul) | |||
10:20 | Lamont Butler misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
10:20 | +1 | Lamont Butler makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 18-14 | |
9:56 | Mustapha Amzil misses two point bank hook shot | |||
9:54 | Reese Waters defensive rebound | |||
9:47 | JT Toppin personal foul (Jaedon LeDee draws the foul) | |||
9:45 | Reese Waters misses two point running jump shot | |||
9:44 | Mustapha Amzil defensive rebound | |||
9:44 | Miles Heide personal foul (Mustapha Amzil draws the foul) | |||
9:31 | JT Toppin misses two point turnaround bank hook shot | |||
9:29 | Miles Byrd defensive rebound | |||
9:18 | +2 | Elijah Saunders makes two point driving floating jump shot (Lamont Butler assists) | 18-16 | |
8:58 | +3 | Jaelen House makes three point jump shot (Donovan Dent assists) | 21-16 | |
8:37 | Lamont Butler misses three point jump shot | |||
8:35 | JT Toppin defensive rebound | |||
8:20 | +3 | Jaelen House makes three point jump shot (Tru Washington assists) | 24-16 | |
7:58 | +2 | Micah Parrish makes two point jump shot (Elijah Saunders assists) | 24-18 | |
7:40 | Tru Washington misses three point jump shot | |||
7:38 | Micah Parrish defensive rebound | |||
7:28 | Elijah Saunders misses two point layup | |||
7:26 | Jaelen House defensive rebound | |||
7:22 | Miles Byrd blocks Donovan Dent's two point driving reverse layup | |||
7:20 | Miles Heide defensive rebound | |||
7:09 | Micah Parrish misses three point jump shot | |||
7:07 | Tru Washington defensive rebound | |||
6:46 | +3 | Jaelen House makes three point jump shot (Donovan Dent assists) | 27-18 | |
6:37 | Aztecs 30 second timeout | |||
6:37 | TV timeout | |||
6:23 | Jaedon LeDee misses two point stepback jump shot | |||
6:21 | JT Toppin defensive rebound | |||
6:08 | Jay Pal blocks Jamal Mashburn Jr.'s two point pullup jump shot | |||
6:06 | Darrion Trammell defensive rebound | |||
6:01 | Micah Parrish misses three point jump shot | |||
5:59 | Nelly Junior Joseph defensive rebound | |||
5:40 | Jay Pal personal foul (Nelly Junior Joseph draws the foul) | |||
5:22 | +3 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. makes three point pullup jump shot (Nelly Junior Joseph assists) | 30-18 | |
4:51 | Jaedon LeDee misses three point jump shot | |||
4:49 | Jemarl Baker Jr. defensive rebound | |||
4:36 | +2 | Jaelen House makes two point stepback jump shot | 32-18 | |
4:09 | +2 | Jaedon LeDee makes two point driving layup | 32-20 | |
3:49 | Jump ball. Isaac Mushila vs. Jaedon LeDee (Lobos gains possession) | |||
3:49 | TV timeout | |||
3:37 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
3:35 | Darrion Trammell defensive rebound | |||
3:34 | Jaelen House personal foul (Darrion Trammell draws the foul) | |||
3:17 | Lamont Butler misses three point jump shot | |||
3:15 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. defensive rebound | |||
2:50 | Jay Pal blocks Nelly Junior Joseph's two point hook shot | |||
2:48 | JT Toppin offensive rebound | |||
2:41 | +2 | JT Toppin makes two point putback layup | 34-20 | |
2:30 | +2 | Jaedon LeDee makes two point layup (Jay Pal assists) | 34-22 | |
2:30 | Nelly Junior Joseph shooting foul (Jaedon LeDee draws the foul) | |||
2:30 | +1 | Jaedon LeDee makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 34-23 | |
2:16 | Darrion Trammell personal foul (JT Toppin draws the foul) | |||
2:02 | Jaelen House misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
2:00 | Darrion Trammell defensive rebound | |||
1:52 | +2 | Jay Pal makes two point cutting layup (Darrion Trammell assists) | 34-25 | |
1:52 | Jemarl Baker Jr. shooting foul (Jay Pal draws the foul) | |||
1:52 | +1 | Jay Pal makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 34-26 | |
1:28 | Jaelen House turnover (bad pass) (Micah Parrish steals) | |||
1:23 | Jaedon LeDee turnover (out of bounds) | |||
1:23 | Lobos 30 second timeout | |||
1:09 | +2 | Jaelen House makes two point driving layup | 36-26 | |
0:42 | +2 | Jaedon LeDee makes two point hook shot (Darrion Trammell assists) | 36-28 | |
0:13 | Jaelen House misses two point driving layup | |||
0:11 | Jaedon LeDee defensive rebound | |||
0:01 | +2 | Jay Pal makes two point cutting dunk (Darrion Trammell assists) | 36-30 | |
0:00 | End of period |