What we've learned about NMSU basketball so far in the 2025-26 season

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New Mexico State's first road trip in Conference USA play didn't go its way, as it lost to both Florida International and Missouri State on Jan. 2 and Jan. 4, respectively.

Luckily for the Aggies (8-5, 1-2), they'll return to the place they love this week. NM State faces Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee on Thursday, Jan. 8, and Saturday, Jan. 10, respectively, at home. The Aggies haven't lost at the Pan American Center so far this season, going a perfect 6-0.

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NM State will look to play better defense after allowing both the Panthers and Bears to collectively shoot 49.6% from the field. On the other side, the Aggies have scored 77.6 points per game.

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Here's what we've learned about NM State so far this season:

Aggies can struggle from half to half

Last Sunday added to a recurring problem for the Aggies: They can struggle to put two halves together.

MSU shot 58.6% from the field in the first half and held a double-digit lead at halftime. The Aggies outscored the Bears 41-36 in the second half and improved defensively by only allowing eight more shots to fall after halftime, but it wasn't enough.

That inconsistency has appeared in other losses to Abilene Christian and Tulsa earlier this season, and even in wins when it was outscored 50-39 in the second half against Sam Houston.

NM State must figure out how to start strong, or swing back quickly if it starts slow.

"We've got to figure out how to either throw the first punch," Hooten said during a Monday, Jan. 5 press conference, "or we've got to figure out when somebody throws one, how to get up, and how to do what we need to do."

Hooten says NM State needs more toughness

Hooten says there's nothing harder in sports than winning a road game, and the Aggies have proved his point so far with a 0-3 road record.

He believes that's because NM State currently lacks the "intestinal fortitude" to win road games. Hooten compared road games to the unforgiving nature of life, and said the Aggies need to develop the toughness required to combat that adversity.

"I personally think that when things are really difficult and hard in our lives, that it takes toughness... It takes the will to do whatever it takes to win. Our team, right now, at this point, (isn't) doing those things. We're not being tough enough. We're not doing all the things that it takes.

"Those road games (are) life. It's hard. It's tough. We've got to continue to get better in life, and we've got to continue to learn through those things so that we can try to find a way to win."

Hooten also blamed the transfer portal. Coaches only get a finite amount of time to know transfers before having to bring them on, and the Aggies have so many new players that it can be difficult for everyone to bond.

Hooten compared it to a rocky marriage and says he must be the marriage counselor.

"You usually date your wife or your significant other for quite a while, and you really get to know them," Hooten said. "In the portal right now, we're getting to know that person for about a week or two. You take people that you really feel like you've known in two weeks, and you put them together and form a team. Sometimes when you do that, it's almost like having to go to a marriage counselor, because you're trying to figure out... What do I have to do to try to help this person? How are you handling adversity? How do you overcome things?"

Aggies have productive bench

Guards Elijah Elliott and Jayland Randall rank third and fourth among Aggies, respectively, in points per game. This has helped NM State become one of the highest-scoring bench teams in the nation.

Forward Jae'Coby Osborne has started two games, but has mostly come off the bench and ranks fourth among NM State players with 3.7 rebounds per game.

Aggies fans might ponder why players like Elliott and Randall aren't in the starting lineup, but Hooten has been mostly consistent with his first five this season. Those five have been the most consistent players, according to Hooten.

"If those guys would be doing what they need to be doing on a daily basis, they would be in the starting lineup," Hooten said. "We go to practice every day... Those guys are sitting over there, they're not starting for a reason."

Hooten will make small changes occasionally to send a message. Guard Jemel Jones didn't start against MSU, with Hooten saying he needed to improve his rebounding and defense. He had four steals and one block against the Bears once he entered the game.

"It worked," Hooten said. "Jemel came off the bench (and) probably played one of his best defensive games of the season."

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: What we've learned about New Mexico State basketball for 2025-26

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