2013-14 WAC Men’s Basketball Postseason Award Winners

All-Conference

First Team
Killian Larson, Sr., C, Grand Canyon
Stephen Madison, Sr., F, Idaho
Daniel Mullings, Jr., G, New Mexico State
Ben Aird, Sr., C, Utah Valley
Holton Hunsaker, Sr., G, Utah Valley

Second Team
Issiah Grayson, Sr., G, Bakersfield
Quinton Pippen, Sr., G/F, Chicago State
Jerome Garrison, Jr., G, Grand Canyon
Tshilidzi Nephawe, Jr., C, New Mexico State
Isiah Umipig, Jr., G, Seattle U

Player of the Year: Daniel Mullings, Jr., G, New Mexico State
Freshman of the Year: Martez Harrison, Fr., G, Kansas City
Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Dick Hunsaker, Utah Valley

All-Defensive Team
Aly Ahmed, Jr., C, Bakersfield
Jerome Garrison, Jr., G, Grand Canyon
Sim Bhullar, So., C, New Mexico State
Daniel Mullings, Jr., G, New Mexico State
Mitch Bruneel, Jr., F, Utah Valley

All-Newcomer Team
Daniel Alexander, Jr., F, Grand Canyon
Martez Harrison, Fr., G, Kansas City
DK Eldridge, Jr., G, New Mexico State
Isiah Umipig, Jr., G, Seattle U
Zach Nelson, Fr., F, Utah Valley

The New Mexico State men's and women's basketball teams will begin their quests for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament next week at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Due to Grand Canyon University's ineligibility for postseason play due to making the transition from Division II to Division I just eight teams will make the trek to Las Vegas for the tournament.

The Aggie women finished the regular season with a 7-9 record in conference play tying for sixth place. The Aggies earned the 5-seed and will face 4-seed UT Pan American at 3:30 MDT in the second of four quarterfinals to be played on Wednesday. The Aggies and Broncs split the two regular season meetings with each winning on their respective home courts. The Broncs defeated the Aggies 66-61 in Edinburg on January 25th and the Aggies returned the favor winning 83-71 on February 20th.

With a victory the Aggies would face the winner of the game between top seeded Idaho and 8-seed Chicago State.

Aggie men finished with a 12-4 earning the 2-seed and will face 7-seed Seattle at 9:30 p.m. MDT in the final game of the day on Thursday. The Aggies swept the Redhawks winning 96-87 on January 9th and 92-77 on February 8th. With a win the Aggies would advance to the semifinals to face the winner of the 3 vs. 6 matchup between Chicago State and Bakersfield.

All games except the championship game will be streamed online via WAC.tv. Both the men's and women's championship games will be televised on ESPNU.

Written By: NM State Athletic Dept.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - New Mexico State Athletics Director McKinley Boston today announced that sophomore guard KC Ross-Miller will not be eligible to play in the WAC Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev., next week.

The indefinite suspension will continue at least through the WAC Basketball Tournament.

“I explained to KC Ross-Miller that I expect our coaches, administrators and student-athletes to conduct themselves in a manner that appropriately represents NM State University,” said Boston. “His status as a member of the NM State basketball team will be re-evaluated in the future, pending his successful completion of an anger management course.”

The Aggies are the No. 2 seed in the WAC Tournament and will begin play at 8:30 p.m. (Pacific) on Thursday, March 13, in the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.

Bakersfield
5 If Bakersfield beats Utah Valley, Grand Canyon beats UTPA and Kansas City beats Idaho OR
If Bakersfield beats Utah Valley, Seattle U beats Chicago State, UTPA beats Grand Canyon and Kansas City beats Idaho

6 If Bakersfield beats Utah Valley and Idaho beats Kansas City OR
If Bakersfield beats Utah Valley, Chicago State beats Seattle U, UTPA beats Grand Canyon and Kansas City beats Idaho OR
If Bakersfield loses to Utah Valley, Chicago State beats Seattle U and Grand Canyon beats UTPA

7 If Bakersfield loses to Utah Valley, Chicago State beats Seattle U and UTPA beats Grand Canyon

8 If Bakersfield loses to Utah Valley and Seattle U beats Chicago State

Chicago State
3 If Chicago State beats Seattle U OR
If Chicago State loses to Seattle U and Idaho beats Kansas City

4 If Chicago State loses to Seattle U and Kansas City beats Idaho

Idaho
4 If Idaho beats Kansas City and Seattle U beats Chicago State

5 If Idaho beats Kansas City and Chicago State beats Seattle U OR
If Idaho loses to Kansas City, Chicago State beats Seattle U and UTPA beats Grand Canyon OR
If Idaho loses to Kansas City, Utah Valley beats Bakersfield, Chicago State beats Seattle U and Grand Canyon beats UTPA

6 If Idaho loses to Kansas City, Utah Valley beats Bakersfield and Seattle U beats Chicago State OR
If Idaho loses to Kansas City, Bakersfield beats Utah Valley, Chicago State beats Seattle U and Grand Canyon beats UTPA

7 If Idaho loses to Kansas City, Bakersfield beats Utah Valley and Seattle U beats Chicago State

Kansas City
3 If Kansas City beats Idaho and Seattle U beats Chicago State

4 If Kansas City beats Idaho and Chicago State beats Seattle U OR
If Kansas City loses to Idaho and Chicago State beats Seattle U

5 If Kansas City loses to Idaho and Seattle U beats Chicago State

New Mexico St.
2 Locked in

Seattle
5 If Seattle U beats Chicago State, Utah Valley beats Bakersfield and Kansas City beats Idaho

6 If Seattle U beats Chicago State, Utah Valley beats Bakersfield and Idaho beats Kansas City OR
If Seattle U beats Chicago State, Bakersfield beats Utah Valley and Kansas City beats Idaho

7 If Seattle U beats Chicago State, Bakersfield beats Utah Valley and Idaho beats Kansas City OR
If Seattle U loses to Chicago State and Grand Canyon beats UTPA

8 If Seattle U loses to Chicago State and UTPA beats Grand Canyon

UTPA
6 If UTPA beats Grand Canyon, Utah Valley beats Bakersfield and Chicago State beats Seattle U

7 If UTPA beats Grand Canyon, Utah Valley beats Bakersfield and Seattle U beats Chicago State OR
If UTPA loses to Grand Canyon, Utah Valley beats Bakersfield and Seattle U beats Chicago State OR
If UTPA beats Grand Canyon, Bakersfield beats Utah Valley, Chicago State beats Seattle U

8 If UTPA beats Grand Canyon, Bakersfield beats Utah Valley and Seattle U beats Chicago State OR
If UTPA loses to Grand Canyon and Chicago State beats Seattle U OR
If UTPA loses to Grand Canyon, Bakersfield beats Utah Valley and Seattle U beats Chicago State

Utah Valley
1 Locked in  Continue Reading This Post >>

Written By: NM State Athletic Dept.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Western Athletic Conference Commissioner Jeff Hurd today announced that New Mexico State men's basketball player KC Ross-Miller has received a two-game suspension and Renaldo Dixon a one-game suspension as a result of a violation of the WAC's sportsmanship policy following Thursday night's basketball game against Utah Valley in Orem, Utah.

“We talk to student-athletes on a regular basis regarding representing the brand of New Mexico State and our Athletics Department and other athletes,” NMSU Athletics Director McKinley Boston said. “I’m so disappointed in K.C.’s actions and the embarrassment he caused his team and university.”  Continue Reading This Post >>

Statement from head coach Marvin Menzies:

"After reviewing the tape of the game and the events that immediately followed, a decision has been made to immediately suspend KC Ross-Miller. No matter what provoked KC what he did was inexcusable and hence the suspension. It is an honor and a privilege to wear an Aggie uniform and a responsibility comes with that privilege. I will wait until I've had a chance to talk with our conference officials and university administration before any other disciplinary actions may or may not be taken. My initial assessment is that we're looking at two separate components, one being KC throwing the ball at Hunsaker and the other being the altercation between the players and the fans who rushed the floor. I would like to commend my staff for their immediate reaction to engage our players and remove them from the floor. We are currently reviewing several sources of video to accurately assess the situation. Obviously this was a very unfortunate incident and I'm hopeful that we can learn from it moving forward.”

Editor's Note: We received the following e-mail this morning and would like to pass along this information. You can read the story in the Las Cruces Sun-News as well (Former Aggie shot while protecting daughter, currently paralyzed.

Dear Aggie Fans:

I’m sending you the background on an incredible and heartbreaking story about Shawn Harrington, the former New Mexico State point guard. Shawn attended – and until last week, worked at – Marshall High School in Chicago. If you saw the film “Hoop Dreams,” you know that school on Chicago’s west side. Shawn made a few cameos in the film. Shawn’s family had already been a victim of gun violence: a decade ago, Shawn’s mother, Frinda Harrington, was murdered in a botched break-in next door to the Kedvale Ave home he grew up in.

A week ago, Shawn himself was the victim of a mistaken identity shooting, while driving his daughter to school at 7:45 a.m. You can read about his heroic move that saved his daughter’s life in the Chicago Tribune piece below. Shawn is paralyzed, although that could change. As an employee of the Chicago Public Schools, he has health insurance, but of course that won’t cover everything – like retooling his home and car to make them wheelchair accessible.

A fundraiser has been set for Saturday, March 1, at Marshall High School. I’m asking for your help: I’m hoping you can spread the word on Shawn, and mention that the “Shawn Harrington Recovery Fund” has been set up at the Fifth Third Bank in Chicago. Any of their branches will accept a walk-in deposit. Or a check to the “Shawn Harrington Recovery Fund” can be mailed to:

Fifth Third Bank
2710 N Narragansett Ave.
Chicago, IL 60639
(773) 385-6050

Important phone numbers:
Dorothy Gators, Marshall Athletics Director (and hugely successful women’s coach)—cell 708.927.3541 – she is the event organizer and has known Shawn for 25 years; Marshall boys head coach Henry Cotton: 773.430.2291.  Continue Reading This Post >>

DENVER, CO - New Mexico State’s Daniel Mullings has been named Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball Player of the Week for Jan. 27-Feb. 2.

Mullings, a junior guard from Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Laurier HS), averaged 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in two wins last week to help the Aggies hold on to a tie for second place in the WAC standings. He was also a perfect 20-for-20 from the charity stripe. In an 89-86 victory over Bakersfield, Mullings led the Aggies with 19 points, including four points in the final two minutes of the game, to go along with six rebounds and two assists. He followed it up with a game-high 21 points while also tying for the New Mexico State lead in rebounds with eight in a blowout win over Utah Valley, which entered the game on an eight-game winning streak and was undefeated in WAC play.  Continue Reading This Post >>

Written By: WAC Media Relations

DENVER, CO - New Mexico State’s Daniel Mullings has been named Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball Player of the Week for Jan. 20-26.

Mullings, a junior guard from Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Laurier HS), scored a career-high 32 points in a 90-78 win over Texas-Pan American on Saturday, helping the Aggies break a two-game skid. Mullings went over the 30-point mark for the first time in his Aggie career and was NM State’s leading scorer on 9-of-15 shooting (60.0 percent) from the field and 13-of-15 (86.7 percent) from the free throw line. Mullings also had six rebounds, three steals, two blocks and one assist.

Mullings is averaging 17.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game this season. He is shooting 45.8 percent (120-of-262) from the field this year.

Written By: NM State Athletic Dept.

DENVER, CO - The Western Athletic Conference office announced on Monday, January 13, that junior guard Daniel Mullings has been named Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball Player of the Week for Jan. 6-12.

Mullings led the Aggies to a pair of wins over Seattle U and Idaho last week. In a 96-87 win over Seattle U on Thursday, Mullings recorded his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He also tied a career-high with seven steals and dished out six assists. In NM State’s 78-54 win over Idaho, Mullings scored 16 points with six rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.

For the week, Mullings averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game. He shot 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from the field, 60.0 percent (3-of-5) from the three-point line, and 60.0 percent (8-of-12) from the free throw line.  Continue Reading This Post >>