LAS VEGAS - For the sixth straight season, the Idaho men's basketball team was eliminated in its first game at the Western Athletic Conference tournament.

New Mexico State shot 60 percent from the field and Idaho couldn't keep up as the third-seeded Aggies beat the sixth-seeded Vandals 65-49 in a quarterfinal game Thursday afternoon at Orleans Arena.

The Vandals trailed 42-30 five minutes into the second half when they began to make a push. A 7-0 Idaho run cut New Mexico State's lead to 42-37, but the Aggies responded with an 11-4 run of their own to build the lead back to double digits with less than eight minutes to play. The Vandals pulled within eight at 57-49 with four minutes to play, but never got closer.

Idaho senior Kyle Barone, the WAC player of the year, went 8 for 10 from the field and finished with 19 points. Sophomore Connor Hill, the former Post Falls High standout, added 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

“It’s tough when it ends, no question about it, especially when you’ve coached a guy like the one to my right,” Idaho coach Don Verlin said, referring to Barone. “It is always hard for the seniors because we’ve had four seniors who’ve really given a lot to this program.”

Daniel Mullings led the Aggies (22-10) with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He added three rebounds and three steals. Bandja Sy added 14 points and seven rebounds. Sim Bhullar, who checks in at 7-foot-5, 360 pounds, had seven points and seven rebounds.

“New Mexico State wore us down with their pressure and athleticism during the second half,” Verlin said. “When they needed to make the plays at the end of the shot clock they did. Too many turnovers and too many easy baskets led to us getting beat tonight.”

Idaho (12-18) connected on 40 percent of its shots in the game, but just 3-of-19 3-pointers (15.8 percent). Each team had 26 rebounds and Idaho had nine of those on the offensive glass, leading to a 14-5 advantage in second-chance points. The Vandals committed 16 turnovers, which the Aggies converted into 25 points.

“It hurts right now knowing that I’m not going to be able to play another game,” Barone said after the loss. “I thought this year we had a good enough team to make a run at this tournament. They wore us out during the second half, and when you’re not scoring or stopping them you can’t win.”

Idaho’s last WAC tourney win came in 2007, two seasons before Verlin was hired. 12-18 is the Vandals’ worst record in his five seasons in Moscow, and Verlin is 81-78 overall as Idaho coach.

IDAHO (12-18)

Habeeb 1-7 5-8 7, C. Hill 5-11 2-2 14, McChristian 1-5 0-0 2, Barone 8-10 3-3 19, Madison 1-7 0-0 3, Harris Jr. 0-1 0-0 0, Douglas 0-0 0-0 0, Kammerer 0-0 0-0 0, Faines 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 18-45 10-13 49.

NEW MEXICO ST. (22-10)

Bhullar 3-5 1-5 7, Sy 5-11 2-2 14, Ross-Miller 2-3 1-2 5, Mullings 10-14 2-5 23, Dixon 0-1 1-2 1, Barry 2-3 0-0 4, Aronis 0-1 0-0 0, de Rouen 4-6 0-0 8, Buovac 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 27-45 7-16 65.

Halftime_New Mexico St. 32-28. 3-Point Goals_Idaho 3-19 (C. Hill 2-7, Madison 1-5, Barone 0-1, McChristian 0-3, Habeeb 0-3), New Mexico St. 4-9 (Sy 2-4, Buovac 1-1, Mullings 1-2, Aronis 0-1, de Rouen 0-1). Fouled Out_Faines. Rebounds_Idaho 26 (Barone, McChristian 5), New Mexico St. 26 (Bhullar, Sy 7). Assists_Idaho 9 (McChristian 3), New Mexico St. 5 (Bhullar, Dixon, Mullings, Ross-Miller, de Rouen 1). Total Fouls_Idaho 17, New Mexico St. 14. A_NA.