LAS CRUCES, N.M. - With basketball season approaching, Conference USA has announced its preseason polls for 2024-25. NM State's senior guard Christian Cook earned a spot on the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team, while the Aggies were picked to finish seventh. Louisiana Tech was tabbed as the preseason favorite. 

In his junior campaign, Cook was a standout player for New Mexico State. Playing in all 32 games and making 26 starts, Cook led the Aggies with 362 total points and a team-high 11.3 points per game, hitting a team-high 59 three-pointers at a 35% clip. In addition to his shooting, Cook's ability to deliver in clutch moments was shown with four 20+ point performances, including a career-high 27-point effort in an overtime win against Liberty and a 26-point outing on 8-11 shooting to secure the Aggies' first Division I win of the season against Northern Colorado. He was ranked ninth in CUSA in three-pointers made per game (1.84), and was a key player on both ends of the floor, averaging a team-leading 30.38 minutes per game. 

Preseason Player of the Year 

Daniel Batcho, F, LA Tech 

Preseason All-Conference Team 

Zach Cleveland, F, Liberty 

Kaden Metheny, G, Liberty 

Daniel Batcho, F, LA Tech 

Jestin Porter, G, MTSU 

Camryn Weston, G, MTSU 

Christian Cook, G, NM State 

Lamar Wilkerson, G, Sam Houston 

Otis Frazier III, F, UTEP 

Tyrone Marshall Jr., F, WKU 

Don McHenry, G, WKU 

Preseason Poll (first-place votes) 

1. LA Tech (3) – 87  

2. WKU (2) – 85  

3. Sam Houston (3) – 83  

4. MTSU (1) – 69 

5. Liberty (1) – 62  

6. UTEP – 62 

7. NM State – 39 

8. Jax State – 29  

9. FIU – 17 

10. Kennesaw State – 17 

For complete coverage of NM State men's basketball during the 2024-25 season, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of the Aggies – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Men's Basketball), Twitter (@NMStateMBB) and Instagram (@NMStateMBB) 

++NM State ++