PHOENIX - For 83 years, their record has stood.
The 1937-38 edition of the NM State men's basketball team, featuring the likes of Pecos Finley, Kiko Martinez and Melvin Richey, reeled off a program-record 21 consecutive wins en route to a Border Conference title as well as an appearance in the 1938 NIT.
Tuesday night, the Jerry Hines-led squad from over eight decades ago didn't have to relinquish their perch at the top of the Aggies' all-time winning streaks list but they will have to share it.
All five members of the 2020-21 team's starting lineup finished with 11 or more points, 10 of the 11 NM State players who saw the court scored and the Aggies cruised to a 92-54 victory over Benedictine Mesa Tuesday night at The PHHacility.
Not only did the Aggies manage to begin the season 2-0 for the second time in the last three years, they extended the nation's second longest active winning streak to 21 games and will have the opportunity to win their 22nd in a row the next time they take the court. That would turn into the longest winning streak in Aggie lore if the 2020-21 crew can accomplish that feat.
FIRST HALF
• After trading buckets with the Redhawks in the opening minutes of the tilt, NM State took the lead for good when Evan Gilyard II drained the first of his three three-pointers in the game with 16:46 to go in the frame.
• That trifecta broke a 4-4 deadlock and started an 8-2 NM State run which culminated in a Will McNair layup to make matters 12-6.
• Twice Benedictine Mesa trimmed the Aggies' lead down to three points before NM State pulled away in earnest. After the Redhawks' Bryce Cheney canned a jumper to make it 14-11 the Aggies went on a 17-4 run over the ensuing 6:29 to open up a 15-point edge.
• Clayton Henry started the scoring surge by draining a triple on one possession followed up with a two-pointer on the Aggies' next one. Redshirt freshman forward Rashaun Agee netted his first basket in an NM State uniform, Jabari Rice follow that with a three of his own and Gilyard took center stage from there.
• The senior out of Chicago scored the final seven point of the Aggies' big run with a triple and back-to-back layups to push NM State's advantage to 31-16 with 5:53 showing on the
clock.
• NM State never took its foot off the gas from there, watching its lead balloon to as many as 23 points before the halftime horn sounded.
• Scorching the nets in the opening frame, the Aggies hit 56.8-percent (21-of-37) of their field goals while included a fine 47.4-percent (9-of-19) mark from long range.
SECOND HALF
• Austin Denham cut NM State's lead down to 19 by scoring the first five points of the final frame but the Aggies responded with a 9-0 run featuring scores by four different players to go ahead 60-32.
• With the game well in hand, the Aggies' reserves got their chance to get in the thick of things. Tennessee Owens drilled one of his two trifectas in the final frame while fellow Las Cruces native Bryce Rewalt came off the bench and netted five points on a triple and a layup.
• The Aggies shot 50-percent (15-of-30) through the last 20 minutes of action and turned in a 9-of-12 (75-percent) accuracy rate from the foul line.
KEY PERFORMERS/STATISTICS OF NOTE
• Gilyard II stayed out of foul trouble and showed exactly what he's capable of in both the scoring and passing departments. The senior amassed a game and team-high 17 points while passing out a career-high seven of the Aggies' 19 assists. He also generated two rebounds and a pair of steals while shooting 7-of-9 (.778) from the floor.
• Joining Gilyard II with 17 points was Donnie Tillman. The senior bullied his way to the tin time and time again and went 6-of-11 from the field and 5-of-7 from the foul line. Tillman finished two rebound shy of a double-double by grabbing eight and also amassed two steals and an assist.
• Getting back in the swing of things, too, was senior forward Johnny McCants. The Las Cruces, N.M., product posted his first double-double of the season and the third of his career by finishing with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
• Rice wrapped up his night with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and also generated four rebounds, a pair of assists and a steal. Henry chipped in 11 and seven rebound to round out the Aggies' main threats.
• Tre Carolina and Denham finished with 10 points each for the Redhawks.
• McCants collected a little over one quarter (12) of the Aggies' 47 rebounds on the night. That helped NM State hold a 44-27 (+17) edge on the glass against the Redhawks.
COMING UP NEXT
• While the Aggies' next scheduled game is set for Saturday, Dec. 12, at Arizona, the likelihood is high that they will have one - or more - tilts before facing off against that Pac-12 program. For schedule updates on the Aggies' non-conference schedule as they become available, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow NM State men's basketball on Facebook (NM State Men's Basketball), Twitter (@NMStateMBB) and Instagram (@NMStateMBB).
++NM State++
