Roos hang tough but come up short at New Mexico State

The Kansas City Roos were hoping to bounce back from a loss, but the task was a tough one: a road game against the team that usually wins the WAC.

The Roos were no pushover on Saturday but did not come away with a victory. Kansas City lost to New Mexico State 74-71.

Terrell Brown scored 18 points, Ivan Aurrecoechea added nine, including a go-ahead layup for New Mexico State, which won its sixth straight.

The Roos dropped to 9-9 on the season and 2-2 in the WAC. New Mexico State improved to 12-6, 3-0.

Aurrecoechea’s layup made it 56-54 with 6 minutes, 39 seconds left and sparked a 15-3 run that included three straight three-pointers, but KC closed to 74-71 on Rob Whitfield’s layup with 3 seconds to go. The Roos’ Marvin Nesbitt Jr. got a steal but missed a jumper at the buzzer.

Kansas City had won four in a row, including two in WAC play, before its 76-64 road loss to Texas Rio Grande Valley on Thursday.

Jordan Giles scored 16 points and Whitfield added 14 for the Roos on Saturday, who trailed 42-33 at halftime. Jashire Hardnett and Nesbitt scored 13 apiece, and Nesbitt had seven rebounds.

Kansas City was without leading scorer and rebounder Javan White, who sustained an injury in Thursday’s game against Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Kansas City is set to play host to Cal State Bakersfield on Thursday at Swinney Center.