5 days ago
2
Conference play will soon be fully underway for both New Mexico State squads.
The Aggies' men's team returns to Conference USA action this weekend with road games against Florida International and Missouri State on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Aggies' women's team will open up CUSA play this weekend at home, facing Liberty and Delaware on the same days.
Advertisement
NM State's men's team defeated Sam Houston 87-78 at home on Dec. 21 to open CUSA play, and took down the University of the Southwest 104-33 at home on Dec. 28 in a brief detour from conference play. It was the first time the Aggies scored over 100 points since Nov. 7, 2022, in a 101-52 win over New Mexico Highlands and the first time the Aggies did so under coach Jason Hooten.
MORE AGGIES SPORTS: The 10 best moments in New Mexico State sports in 2025
Meanwhile, NM State's women's team completed non-conference play at 4-8. The Aggies are coming off a 52-48 overtime win over Division II Eastern New Mexico, but have lost to their last two Division I opponents in UC Irvine and Saint Mary's. NM State's last D-I win was a 58-55 road victory over Utah Tech on Dec. 6.
MORE AGGIES SPORTS: Analyzing positions of need for NMSU football in transfer portal
Advertisement
Here's what you need to know for the games this weekend.
Men's basketball
New Mexico State (8-3, 1-0) at FIU (7-5, 0-1)
Location: Ocean Bank Convocation Center, Miami, FL
Time: 10 a.m. MT, Jan. 2
Network: ESPN+
New Mexico State at Missouri State (7-5, 1-0)
Location: Great Southern Bank Arena, Springfield, MO
Time: 1 p.m. MT, Jan. 4
Network: ESPN+
Things to know
FIU presents another tough defensive challenge, as it's scoring 88.1 points per game and shooting 46.9% from the field so far this season.
Former NM State guard Zawdie Jackson now plays for the Panthers. He's averaged 10.3 points per game this season and has tallied a joint-team-high 41 assists.
Missouri State ranks fifth in CUSA with only 69.7 points allowed per game. However, the Bears have allowed 42.6% of their opponents' shots to fall, which is the third-worst mark in the conference.
Both FIU and MSU have some of CUSA's top scorers. The Panthers' Corey Stephenson ranks fourth in CUSA with 18 points per game, and the Bears' Keith Palek III ranks fifth with 17.7 points per game.
FIU coach Jeremy Ballard is 105-129 in his tenure as the team's coach and is in his eighth season with the program. MSU coach Cuonzo Martin is in his fifth overall season with the team and his second in his current tenure. The Bears went 9-23 last season in the Missouri Valley Conference and are 77-69 overall under Martin.
Women's basketball
Liberty (6-5) at New Mexico State (4-8)
Location: Pan American Center, Las Cruces, NM
Time: 6 p.m. MT, Jan. 2
Network: ESPN+
Delaware (6-6) at New Mexico State
Location: Pan American Center, Las Cruces, NM
Time: 2 p.m. MT, Jan. 4
Network: ESPN+
Advertisement
Things to know
Liberty has only allowed a 37% opponent shooting mark this season, the best in CUSA.
Liberty's Avery Mills and Emma Stout rank fifth and sixth among CUSA players, respectively, for points per game. Mills is averaging 14.9, and Stout is averaging 14.4.
Liberty's Ify Nwaobi is one of just three CUSA players averaging over 10 rebounds a game so far this season at 10.1.
Delaware is one of CUSA's best offensive teams right now, as it ranks fourth in the conference with 68.1 points per game and fifth with a 41.5% shooting mark.
After 26 seasons and 15 NCAA Tournament appearances under former coach Carey Green, he retired in August 2025 and was replaced by longtime assistant coach Alexis Sherard. The Blue Hens are in their third season under coach Sarah Jenkins, who is 24-40 during her tenure.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Time, channel, things to know for NMSU's CUSA games from Jan. 2-4
English (US) ·