What: Game Three
Who: NM State (2-0, 0-0 CUSA) vs New Mexico (3-0, 0-0 Mountain West)
When: Saturday, Nov. 15, 7:00 p.m. MT
Where: Las Cruces, N.M. – Pan American Center (12,200)
THE OPENING TIP
• Coming off a 74-58 win over New Mexico Highlands in Las Cruces, NM State now shifts its focus to a marquee matchup. A Saturday night showdown against I-25 rival New Mexico on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. inside the Pan American Center.
• Saturday's meeting marks the 230th edition of the Battle of I-25, a rivalry defined by intensity, history and tightly contested finishes. Last season, the two programs met just once. An instant classic in The Pit in which the Aggies walked away with an 89-83 overtime victory. The Lobos' last trip to Las Cruces came on Dec. 15, 2023, when NM State narrowly fell 73-72 in a one-possession battle.
THE JONES SHOW
• Senior guard Jemel Jones has stormed out of the gates to open the 2025-26 campaign, delivering back-to-back standout performances to lead the Aggies. After posting 23 points, nine rebounds and three assists in the opener, Jones followed it up with 24 points on 9-17 shooting against NM Highlands, adding three assists, two rebounds and a steal.
• Jones now leads NM State in scoring through two games at 23.5 points per game, while also ranking second on the team in rebounds (5.5) and assists (2.5). His two straight 20-plus point outings make him the first Aggie to accomplish the feat since Christian Cook did it in December 2024. a stretch that began with a 27-point performance against New Mexico before he added 22 more at Texas. Jones now looks to continue that momentum in another crucial rivalry matchup with the Lobos.
STRONG IMPRESSIONS
• Freshman Augustine Ekwe notched an impressive performance in his second game of action, finishing the night with season-high in points and rebounds with 10 points (5-7 FG) and six rebounds in just 18 minutes.
• Senior guard Chris Terrell showcased his defensive prowess, reminding everyone why he led all of Division II in steals last season. He finished the night with five steals — the most by an Aggie in a single game since Dec. 18, 2022. The Delta State transfer paced all of Division II a year ago with 3.5 steals per game.
• Forward Julius Mims came close to opening his Aggie career with a double-double, posting 12 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks in just 24 minutes — a clear display of his impact on both ends of the floor. After missing the NM Highlands game, Mims' return will undoubtedly provide a major boost as the Aggies face the Lobos.
THE BATTLE OF I-25
• As the rivalry renews for the 230th time, the Battle of I-25 has delivered countless unforgettable moments, and last season's matchup in Albuquerque added another classic to the rivalry's storied legacy. On Dec. 7, 2024, NM State stunned The Pit with an 89-83 overtime victory, marking the Aggies' highest point total against a Division I opponent all season. NM State also knocked down a season-best 14 three-pointers, while Christian Cook poured in 27 points – the most by an Aggie against a D-I opponent in 2024-25 season.
• The last time the teams met in Las Cruces, NM State came up just short in a 73-72 thriller on Dec. 15, 2023. Despite the narrow loss, recent history has belonged to the Aggies on the road. NM State's last two victories over New Mexico have both come in overtime and both have come in Albuquerque – last season's 89-83 win and a 78-76 OT victory on Dec. 6, 2021.
YEAR THREE
• Head Coach Jason Hooten gears up to lead the Crimson & White for his third season at helm. Last season, he led NM State to a 17-15 record, improving by four wins from his first year while tying for the second-best road conference record in CUSA at 6-3. He guided the Aggies to signature road wins, including a sold-out overtime thriller over I-25 rival New Mexico and a historic victory at I-10 rival UTEP, marking NM State's largest win in El Paso since 1937 and the third-largest home loss in UTEP history. Under his leadership, the Aggies became one of the nation's top defensive teams, ranking sixth in three-point percentage defense (29.1%), 11th in field goal percentage defense (39.6%), and 32nd in scoring defense (65.9 ppg).
FAMILAR FACES
• The Aggies return just two players from last season's roster, as much of the 2024-25 squad either graduated or transferred. Sophomores Gabe Pickens and Jae'Coby Osborne both worked their way into the rotation as freshmen as the season progressed under Head Coach Jason Hooten last year.
• Pickens appeared in 30 of the Aggies' 32 games last season, averaging 11.3 minutes per contest. He will serve as a key facilitator for NM State after finishing second on the team in assists with 58; a mark that ranked third among all freshmen in Conference USA last year, trailing only Adrian Wooley (118) and Quel'Ron House (87). His best outing came against UNLV, when he scored 14 points, grabbed two rebounds, dished out two assists and went a perfect 2-2 from beyond the arc.
• Osborne returns after seeing action in 22 games, averaging 10.5 minutes per game. After his role increased later in the season, he would lead the team in field goal percentage, shooting 64% from the floor. His season highs included seven points against LA Tech and eight rebounds on the road at Jacksonville State.
REUNITED AGAIN
• This year's Aggie roster includes a familiar face for Head Coach Jason Hooten in senior guard Anthony Wrzeszcz, a player Hooten originally recruited out of high school. Wrzeszcz began his college career under Hooten at Sam Houston during the 2022-23 season, appearing in 24 games and averaging 8.7 minutes per contest while recording a season-high 19 points against Tarleton State.
• Following Hooten's departure from Sam Houston, Wrzeszcz remained with the Bearkats for his sophomore year before spending his junior season at McMaster University in Canada. Now, he reunites with Hooten in Las Cruces to finish out his collegiate career under the coach who first brought him to Division I basketball.
NEW PIECES TO THE PUZZLE
• After losing more than 94% of its scoring and 87% of its rebounding to graduation and the transfer portal, NM State made it a priority this offseason to reload its roster with players capable of producing immediately.
• To bolster the scoring column, the Aggies added Jemel Jones, Elijah Elliott, Jayland Randall, and Chris Terrell.
– Jones arrives after an impressive season at Cal State Bakersfield, averaging 18.9 points per game and earning Big West Newcomer of the Year honors.
– Elliott transfers from Southern Illinois, where he averaged 14.0 points per game before an injury shortened his season. His year included a 21-point performance against Oklahoma State.
– Randall joins the Aggies from Southern Indiana, where he posted 15.0 points per game last season.
– Terrell comes from Division II Delta State after ranking among the nation's top scorers with 21.2 points per game while also leading all D-II players with 3.5 steals per contest.
• To strengthen the frontcourt and rebounding efforts, NM State added Julius Mims, Kyrese Mullen, and Cyr Malonga.
– Mims transfers from Idaho, where he averaged 8.6 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 66.1% from the field.
– Mullen comes in after three seasons at Hampton, most recently averaging 7.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
– Malonga joins the Aggies after two seasons at East Carolina, highlighted by a 10-point, nine-rebound performance against SMU during his freshman campaign.
THE 40+ CLUB
• One of NM State's biggest areas of need last season was offensive firepower. Head Coach Jason Hooten set out to fix that, bringing in proven scorers who have already shown they can take over a game. The Aggies now boast three newcomers who have each scored 40 or more points in a single contest at the Division II level or higher: Jemel Jones, Elijah Elliott, and Chris Terrell
• Senior transfer guard Jemel Jones posted a Cal State Bakersfield single-game record with 45 points against Cal State Northridge. Fellow transfer guard Elijah Elliott tallied a career-high 40 points versus Stephen F. Austin during the 2023-24 season while at UTRGV. Meanwhile, transfer guard Chris Terrell recorded a career-best 42 points for Division II Delta State in a matchup with Auburn Montgomery.
THE OUTSIDE VIEW
• In the Conference USA preseason poll announced on Oct. 9, NM State was picked to finish third, marking a significant climb from last year's seventh-place projection. The Aggies earned 113 total points, trailing only Liberty and Kennesaw State in the league standings.
• Liberty was selected as the preseason favorite after collecting 11 first-place votes and 143 total points. Kennesaw State followed in second with 126 points and one first-place vote, while NM State rounded out the top three with 113 points. Middle Tennessee (103) and Louisiana Tech (82) completed the top five.
PRESEASON RECOGITION
• Senior guard Jemel Jones was named to the 2025-26 CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team. A transfer from CSU Bakersfield, Jones joins the Aggies following a standout season in which he averaged 18.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He set multiple single-season program records for the Roadrunners, including total points (573) and scoring average (18.9), and earned All-Big West Second Team and Big West Newcomer of the Year honors.
SCOUTING THE LOBOS
• New Mexico enters its first season under Head Coach Eric Olen, who arrived in Albuquerque following a 12-year run as the head coach at UC San Diego. Olen posted a 30-5 record last season, won the Big West Championship and earned an NCAA Tournament berth where they would push Michigan to the wire in a narrow 68-65 first-round loss. Saturday will mark the first-ever meeting between Olen and NM State Head Coach Jason Hooten.
• The Lobos come into the rivalry matchup at 3-0, most recently defeating UC Riverside 82-68 in Albuquerque. Saturday will also serve as New Mexico's first road game of the season.
• Offensively, the Lobos feature a balanced scoring attack, but freshman Jake Hall leads the way at 12.3 points per game. In the frontcourt, fellow freshman Tomislav Buljan anchors the effort on the glass, averaging 10.0 rebounds per game to set the tone inside. Slowing both Hall and Buljan will be key as the Aggies look to control the pace and protect their home floor.
For complete coverage of the 2025-26 season 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).
++NM State++
