What: Game Fifteen
Who: NM State (8-6, 0-0 CUSA) vs LA Tech (11-3, 0-0 CUSA)
When: Saturday, Jan. 4, 2:00 p.m. MT
Where: Las Cruces, N.M. – Pan American Center (12,572)
THE OPENING TIP
• Knocking off the defending regular season champions Sam Houston 75-71 on Thursday night, NM State returns to the Pan American Center for a matchup with LA Tech. With Thursday's win, the Aggies are now 2-0 in Conference USA openers, dating back to last season's 63-53 nationally televised win over UTEP.
• Christian Cook (25 points) and Peter Filipovity (20 points, seven rebounds) powered the Aggies to their first win over the Bearkats in the Jason Hooten era – improving to 7-2 in home conference contests since 2023.
• On Saturday, the Aggies and Bulldogs meet for the 23rd time – with NM State holding a 16-6 advantage all-time. Last season, NM State dropped contests against LA Tech at home (67-58) and on the road (73-53).
THE SECOND GO AROUND
• In his debut season leading the Aggies, Coach Hooten guided the Aggies to a 7-9 record in league play and helped deliver several memorable highlights, including a thrilling win over I-10 rival UTEP, a remarkable 23-point second-half comeback to defeat eventual CUSA Tournament Champion Western Kentucky, and an impressive 12-3 record on their home court at the Pan American Center.
• NM State's home support was unmatched, as the Aggies led all Conference USA programs in average home attendance, drawing 5,638 fans per game. Hooten wrapped up his first season with a 13-19 overall record, bringing his career head coaching total to 274-188 and setting a strong foundation for the program's future.
• After leading NM State to a 6-9 record in non-conference play last season, the Aggies improved that mark this year and will begin CUSA competition with a 7-6 record.
NON-CON CONTROL
• With three-straight wins to conclude non-conference play, the Aggies put forth a record of above .500 for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.
LOCKING DOWN ON DEFENSE
• Defense has always been a hallmark of Head Coach Jason Hooten's teams, and this year's squad is already embracing that identity. The Aggies are showcasing their defensive dominance this season, ranking 36th in the nation and second in CUSA in field goal percentage defense by limiting opponents to just 39.5% shooting.
DOMINATING THE BOARDS
• The Aggies lead all CUSA teams in the number of players with multiple games of 10 or more rebounds this season. Four Aggies have achieved this feat: Peter Filipovity (3), Nate Tshimanga (3), Robert Carpenter (3) and Emmanuel Tshimanga (2). The next closest team, Jacksonville State, has only two players with multiple double-digit rebounding games.
THE COOK-BOOK
• Senior guard Christian Cook has hit his offensive stride this season, rebounding from a slow start to record his sixth consecutive double-digit scoring performance. In Thursday's win over Sam Houston, Cook finished with 25 points to mark the 12th time Cook has scored 10 or more points this year, with only three games falling short of that mark. For comparison, Cook reached double figures in 17 of the Aggies' 32 games last season.
• His best performance this season came in a thrilling sold-out overtime clash against I-25 rival New Mexico, Cook erupted for a Division I career-high 27 points, draining six three-pointers – the third time in his career he's hit that mark. He was also incredibly efficient, shooting 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-9 from beyond the arc.
• Currently, Cook's 14.9 points per game ranks seventh among Conference USA scorers. Cook has also connected on a team-high 38 three-pointers and ranks fourth in CUSA in three-pointers per game (2.71) and in total threes made.
PROTECT THE PAN AM
• NM State will look to piece together its 19th consecutive season with a winning record inside the Pan American Center. Since the start of the 2005-06 campaign, the Aggies are an incredible 259-44 (.854) in front of their home crowd. During this stretch, NM State had just one season with five or more losses as it finished 13-5 in 2010-11.
THE PETER EFFECT
• Peter Filipovity has established himself as a crucial player for the Aggies, excelling on the boards and as a consistent scoring threat. This season, he is averaging 11.2 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game. His 7.4 rebounds per game also rank him sixth in Conference USA. Filipovity's performances highlight his ability to secure double-doubles, as he leads NM State with three this season, ranking second in CUSA behind Middle Tennessee's Essam Mostafa who ranks seventh in the nation with seven double-doubles.
• Over the last four games, Filipovity has elevated his play, averaging 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest. His standout performance came against Sam Houston, where he recorded a season-high 20 points along with seven rebounds.
BALANCED ATTACK
• During non-conference play, the Aggies received consistent play from their bench who currently averages 26.5 points per game to rank third among CUSA teams.
• This charge off the bench is led by Robert Carpenter who averages 11.2 points per game and has taken on a new role after starting the first six games of the season. Coach Hooten has also received solid contribution off the bench from fellow returner Jaden Harris who averages 6.3 points per game and 2.9 rebounds per game.
• Including Carpenter, NM State currently has four players averaging double figures this season as Carpenter, Christian Cook (14.9), Peter Filipovity (11.2) and Zawdie Jackson (10.0) each score over 10 points per game.
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
• With the evolution of college sports through the transfer portal, teams are increasingly embracing yearly roster overhauls — and NM State is no exception, welcoming seven new players through the portal this season.
• The incoming group includes Dionte Bostick, Carl Cherenfant, Peter Filipovity, Zawdie Jackson, Edward Nnamoko, and brothers Emmanuel and Nate Tshimanga. In the backcourt, Bostick, Cherenfant, and Jackson will add depth and energy, joining returning guards Christian Cook and Jaden Harris to maintain NM State's backcourt play. Meanwhile, in the frontcourt, the Aggies have intentionally added size and versatility with Filipovity (6'7"), Nnamoko (6'10"), Nate Tshimanga (6'10"), and Emmanuel Tshimanga (7'0").
• Bostick, Filipovity, and Jackson are expected to be immediate impact players, each having excelled at their previous schools. Bostick arrives from Cal State Northridge, where he averaged 15.4 points and four rebounds per game while leading the team with 49 three-pointers, earning an All-Big West Honorable Mention.
• Filipovity, joining from the University of Maine, was a standout for the Black Bears, putting up 14.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He also recorded nine double-doubles and earned America East All-Conference Second Team honors.
• Jackson brings an impressive resume from West Georgia, where he posted one of the program's best seasons, averaging 22 points, 5.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game with an elite shooting split of 51% from the field, 45% from three, and 85% from the line. His contributions were pivotal in leading his team to a GSC regular season and tournament championship and a South Region semifinals appearance. Jackson's stellar play earned him titles as both the GSC and South Region Player of the Year, along with First Team All-American honors.
LOOK WHO'S BACK
• This season, the Aggies welcome back four returners from last year's roster: Christian Cook, Robert Carpenter, Jaden Harris, and Christopher Biekeu. Despite significant roster changes, these returning players bring valuable experience and key contributions to NM State's lineup.
• Head Coach Hooten managed to retain a substantial portion of last season's three-point shooting prowess with the return of Christian Cook, Robert Carpenter, and Jaden Harris, who collectively accounted for 58% of the Aggies' three-point field goals. Leading the charge from beyond the arc, Christian Cook was last season's top scorer for the Aggies, averaging 11.3 points per game and sinking 59 three-pointers — the most on the team. Harris proved himself a reliable shooter, hitting 36% from deep, while Carpenter was highly efficient, shooting 35% from three-point range and 47% from the field overall. Together, they were responsible for 38% of the team's scoring last season, combining for 810 points.
• Also returning is forward Christopher Biekeu, who showed promise before a season-ending injury limited him to only six minutes in his lone appearance against Cal Baptist. Biekeu's comeback adds depth to the Aggies' frontcourt, and his return from injury provides the team with an additional physical presence inside.
THE BROTHERLY CONNECTION
• Amidst the roster changes, Coach Hooten successfully brought a pair of brothers, Emmanuel and Nate Tshimanga, to play together in the Crimson and White. This marks the first time the Tshimanga brothers will share the court at the Division I level. Their arrival brings a unique family bond to NM State, adding depth and chemistry to the Aggie lineup.
• Emmanuel Tshimanga joins NM State after two seasons at UC San Diego, where he consistently demonstrated his ability to impact the game off the bench. In the 2023-24 season, Emmanuel averaged 14.1 minutes over 22 games, ranking third on the team with 5.0 rebounds per game and setting a personal best of two steals against Pepperdine. In his previous season (2022-23), he was recognized as the UCU Athlete of the Week and put up impressive performances, including a career-high 13 rebounds in a win at Eastern Michigan and an 18-point effort against UC Santa Barbara. He appeared in 24 games, making ten starts, and was the team's second-leading rebounder with 6.2 boards per game.
• Nate Tshimanga arrives in Las Cruces following a season at Utah Valley, where he played in all 32 games, made six starts, and contributed an average of 13.4 minutes per contest. Known for his efficiency, he shot 46% from the field, averaging 2.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. Prior to Utah Valley, Nate spent the 2022-23 season at Troy University, where he played in 21 games, made four starts, and finished second on the team in field goal percentage (50%). He posted a season-high 12 points and nine rebounds against Montevallo.
ACCORDING TO OTHERS
• In the Conference USA preseason poll announced on Oct. 10, the Aggies were picked to finish seventh, with Christian Cook as their sole representative on the Preseason All-Conference Team. This projection follows a 2022-23 season where NM State posted a 13-19 overall record and a 7-9 record in conference play.
• Louisiana Tech emerged as the preseason favorite, securing three first-place votes and 87 points. Western Kentucky followed closely in second place with 85 points and two first-place votes, while Sam Houston was projected third with 83 points and three first-place nods. Middle Tennessee landed in fourth with 69 points and one first-place vote, while UTEP and Liberty tied for fifth at 62 points, with Liberty also receiving one first-place vote.
• NM State holds the seventh position with 39 points in the coaches' poll, followed by Jacksonville State with 29 points. FIU and Kennesaw State rounded out the standings, tied for ninth place with 17 points each.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
• LA Tech enters Saturday's matchup with an 11-3 record, including an 0-1 mark in Conference USA contests. On Thursday, the Bulldogs battled with the UTEP Miners, falling by a score of 70-60. In non-conference action, LA Tech notched a 74-66 victory over 2024 NCAA Tournament team Grand Canyon.
• The Bulldogs boast an efficient offense, shooting 50.2% from the field (17th in the country), while also possessing a stifling defense that holds opponents to 39.7% shooting from the field (40th in the nation).
• LA Tech is led by Head Coach Talvin Hester, currently in his third season at the helm – sporting a career 48-31 record. Last season, Hester guided the Bulldogs to a 22-10 overall record and a 12-4 mark behind big men Isaiah Crawford and Daniel Batcho.
• Redshirt senior Daniel Batcho powers the potent LA Tech attack, averaging 19.3 points per game (31st in NCAA) while shooting a blistering 74.6% from the field (1st in NCAA). Getting it done defensively as well, the Paris, France, native also averages 6.9 rebounds per contest while pacing the team in blocks (2.6 per game).
For complete coverage of NM State Men's Basketball, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateMBB), Instagram (@NMStateMBB), and like us on Facebook (NMStateMBB).
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