Veterans lead 'Cats in title game against NM State

LAS VEGAS – It has been another historic Abilene Christian men's basketball season. The Wildcats won 20 games for the fourth-straight season, and as the No. 6 seed, made a run all the way to the WAC Tournament championship game, but fell to the No. 1 seed NM State Saturday night at the Orleans Arena. The Aggies (26-6) topped the Wildcats (23-10), 66-52, to claim the automatic qualifying bid into the NCAA Tournament. ACU battled the entire night, but shots just did not fall in the title game. Veterans led ACU, as Coryon Mason, Mahki Morris, and Airion Simmons all scored in double figures.

Turning Point: The first-half run for NMSU.
ACU got off to its best start in a game in the tournament, leading 10-5 just over four minutes into the game. The Aggies then went on a 16-2 run to claim a 21-12 lead with 12:02 to play in the first period. ACU played from behind the rest of the game, and couldn't quite get it back even.

Key Plays
- Mahki Morris scored the first five points of the night to help the Wildcat to an early 5-3 lead. 
- Coryon Mason drained a three that pushed the Wildcats lead to 8-3 less than two minutes into the game. 
- Morris hit a jumper at the 10:52 mark to end a 15-2 run from the Aggies. 
- Airion Simmons hit a three at the 9:53 mark of the first half to cut the Aggies lead to five. 
- A Damien Daniels layup with 1:20 to play in the first half cut the halftime margin to nine. 
- A flagrant foul early in the second half sent Morris to the line where he converted both free throws and then hit a jumper on the ensuing possession to cut the Aggie lead to five.
- Free throws from Mason cut it to a single-digit lead with 10 minutes to play.

Stat Pack
- Mason led the way with 14 points, and went 6-of-8 at the foul line. The senior tallied four rebounds as well.
- Morris, who was in double figures all tournament, scored 12 more Saturday. The Philly native earned WAC All-Tournament Team honors after the game.
- Simmons added 12 points, and he too was named to the All-Tournament Team following the game.

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