NM State Wrangle Mustangs to Close 2024
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Returning to action for one last game before 2025, NM State (7-6) played host to the University of the Southwest Mustangs (7-7) on Saturday afternoon from the Pan American Center. Behind a near double-double from Zawdie Jackson (10 points, nine assists), the Aggies took a decisive 85-52 victory in their non conference finale.
A tenacious Aggie defense forced a shot clock violation on the opening possession, with Christian Cook breaking the scoring seal. Emmanuel Tshimanga followed with an and one on the following possession, giving NM State a quick 5-0 lead. University of the Southwest tallied their first points of the contest on a fast break bucket by Kevin Boone. With the Mustangs trailing by one (7-6), a block by Nate Tshimanga on one end led to a spot-up 3-pointer by Christian Cook, sending it to the first media timeout with a 12-8 Aggie advantage.
After the timeout, neither team could find a basket until Christian Cook drained a technical free throw at 12:39. He then drained a three-pointer using a personal 4-0 run to make the score 16-8 with 11:57 to go in the half. Emanuel Tshinmanga made it a 6-0 run to make it 18-8 before a Mustang three ended the run.
Carl Cherefant scored his first points with a three to make it a 9-3 run and a 21-11 lead. Back-to-back Mustang threes kept them within single digits 21-14. Later, Robert Carpenter’s first points made it 25-16 with 7:56.
Out of the timeout, Cherenfant forced the seventh Mustang turnover of the game and made a free throw to restore a double-digit lead. After a brief drought, Bostic drained a three to make it 29-16 for the Aggies. Emanuel Tshimanga made a layup to force a Mustang timeout with five minutes to go in the half.
The 6-0 run for the Aggies continued with a pair of Bostic free throws to make it 33-16 with 4:33 to go. The Aggies asserted their dominance on defense, holding the Mustangs without any points for almost five minutes and without a field goal for over five minutes. The Aggies then used a 9-0 run to make it 43-18 with about a minute to go. The Mustangs made their first field goal in over five minutes with 41 seconds. With seven seconds to go, Filopovity drew contact and completed a three-point play to make it 44-20 at halftime.
In the first half, Christian Cook, Zawdie Jackson, and Emmanuel Tshimanga led the team with nine, eight and seven points respectively. NM State dominated from the field, shooting 51.9% from two and 61.5% from three-point range. In comparison, University of the Southwest shot 27.6% from the field and 2-14 from downtown. The Aggies never trailed in the first half, leading by as much at 25 points.
After with a pair of free throws. Emmanuel Tshimanga responded by continuing his dominance in the paint with his fourth field goal of the evening. Jaden Harris scored a fast break layup and a three-pointer to make it a 19-point lead with 16:29.
Zawdie Jackson then scored a layup and Robert Carpenter nailed a three to restore a 24-point lead. It took the Mustangs more than seven minutes to make a field goal in the second half. In the first six minutes, the Mustangs only scored four points all from the free throw line. A Harris 3 made it a 25 point lead, the largest since the first half.
Nnamoko scored a basket to make it a 27-point lead - the largest of the game. The Mustangs finally made a field goal with 12:36 to go, beginning to a 7-0 run for Southwest and forcing an Aggie timeout with 11:11 to go. Christian Cook broke the drought with a layup to keep a 20 point lead. The Aggies and Mustangs traded baskets and went into the under 8 timeout with NM State leading 67-35.
Out of the timeout, Jae’Coby Osborne scored his first points of the game with back-to-back layups to give the aggies a 71-37 lead. A Mustang and-1got them to 40 points with six minutes to go but Dionte Bostick responded with a 3-pointer. A Mustang steal and layup made it a 20-point Aggie lead with about five minutes to go.
Gabe Pickens later scored his first basket of the game with 3:36 to go to make it 78-44. The Aggies emptied their deep bench at this point and Azavier Johnson scored his first basket with 2:37 on the clock and followed that with a three. Christopher Biekeu scored his first points on a smooth jumper with 1:18 to go. The Mustangs continued to fight and scored most of their second half points as they made 11 of 13 from the free throw line. NM State scored their final three baskets to finish with a 85-52 victory.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
· The Aggies flashed their offensive prowess on Saturday afternoon, posting a season-high percentage from the field (54.2%), while also recording a season best from long range (8-17, 46.4%). A pair of Aggies went perfect from the field, graduate forward Emmanuel Tshimanga and senior guard Jaden Harris both went 4-4.
· Zawdie Jackson finished the game with nine assists, leading the way for NM State who finished with a season-high 22 helpers.
· Senior guard Jaden Harris made his impact felt off the bench for the Aggies going a perfect 4-4 from the field including going 3-3 from beyond the arc. This is his second most three pointers in a game this season for the senior guard, he made four against Bowling Green.
· Junior walk-on Azavier Johnson tallied his first points in the Crimson & White, knocking in his lone three-point attempt while finishing with five points total.
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