LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Just four days after playing host to New Mexico Highlands, NM State (3-0) returned to the Pan American Center on Saturday night, welcoming in the Lobos of New Mexico (3-1) in the lone contest between the rivals this season. In front of a raucous crowd of 8, 106, the Aggies secured a 76-68 victory thanks to a season-high 16 points for Anthony Wrzeszcz, joined by Jemel Jones (15), Elijah Elliott (11) and Jayland Randall (10).

This becomes the second straight win for the Aggies over the Lobos, taking an 89-83 victory last season in Albuquerque. As well, this is the first rivalry win for NM State in Las Cruces since Dec. 4, 2018.  

The Aggies would strike first in the 230th installment of the Battle of I-25, finding Anthony Wrzeszcz in the corner for a 3-pointer. Gabe Pickens would later add his first triple of the season, putting NM State ahead 10-6 after the opening five minutes of play. A balanced scoring surge would power the Crimson & White in the middle stages of the opening half, with Jayland Randall, Chris Terrell and Elijah Elliott knocking down buckets to go ahead 21-13 with less than 12 minutes to go. The NM State lead would grow as much as 10, though a scoring streak by the Lobos as halftime approached would give the visitors their first lead of the contest (27-26). Jayland Randall would split a pair of free-throws following a foul, tying the game at 27 all heading into the break.

At the break, NM State held the edge in steals (6-2), blocks (2-0), and bench points (14-5). 

Junior center Cyr Malonga broke the tie early in the second half, though the Lobos would remain resilient, taking their largest lead of the game with a score of 41-36. Following that, the Aggies finally began to heat up from beyond the arc after struggling from deep for much of the first half. Over the next five minutes, they knocked down four triples – two from Jemel Jones on back-to-back possessions, one from Randall and another from Wrzeszcz – helping NM State edge ahead 52–49 as the teams continued trading baskets.

As the game pushed into crunch time, the two rivals continued to battle, with the score tied four more times in the late stages of the second half. The Aggies ultimately created the separation they needed when Wrzeszcz delivered another clutch corner three with 2:19 remaining, putting NM State in front 70–66. From there, the Aggies closed it out with tough defense and timely free throws to win the 230th edition of the Battle of I-25 and earn their first home victory over the Lobos in the Pan American Center since Dec. 4, 2018.

NUMBERS OF NOTE   

• With the 76-68 victory, NM State earns its first home win over New Mexico in the Pan American Center since Dec. 4, 2018, snapping a nearly seven-year drought.

• Anthony Wrzeszcz had one of his best showings for the Aggies as the would finish with a season-high 16 points and a season-high in three point field goal makes and attempts going 4-8 from beyond the arc while also adding a career high matching three assists. 

• NM State posted its highest scoring half of the season putting up 49, shooting 48.3% overall and 50% from three after halftime.

• The Aggies hit 10 three-pointers on the night, their most in a game this season and the first double-digit three-point outing of the year

• Jayland Randall and Elijah Elliott both tallied their first double digit scoring game in the Crimson &White this season as Elliott would finish with 11 points and Randall would finish with 10 points on the night.

• Julius Mims flirted with a double-double again for they Aggies finishing with eight points and matching his season-high with eight rebounds while adding two blocks and an assist. 

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