What: Game Seven
Who: NM State (6-0, 0-0 CUSA) vs South Alabama (7-1, 0-0 Sun Belt)
When: Tuesday, Dec. 2, 5:00 p.m. MT
Where: Katy, Texas – Leonard E. Merrell Center
THE OPENING TIP
• After going 2-0 in Cancun and becoming one of just two teams to finish the Cancun Challenge at 3-0, NM State returned home with a convincing 77-58 win over Georgia State, pushing its undefeated start to 6-0. The Aggies now turn their attention to a neutral-site matchup in Katy, Texas, where they will take on 7-1 South Alabama on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 5 p.m.
• This will mark the 16th all-time meeting between the programs, with NM State holding a 9-6 series lead. The Aggies also won the most recent matchup, an 82-64 victory in Las Cruces on Dec. 28, 2013.
HISTORIC START
• The Aggies' 6-0 opening marks their best start in more than 50 years. The last NM State team to begin a season this fast was the 1969–70 Final Four team, linking this year's group to one of the most storied runs in program history.
RARE COMPANY
• NM State is one of two FBS teams this season to be undefeated while holding each opponent to under 43.0 percent from the field (Michigan). The last CUSA team to start a season with six such games was UAB in 2020-21 (first seven).
DEFENSIVE DISRUPTION
• NM State remains one of the nation's stingiest defensive units. The Aggies enter the matchup ranked 5th nationally in three-point percentage defense (24%), 8th in field-goal percentage defense (36%) and 13th in scoring defense (62.2 ppg).
• The defensive identity was on full display in Cancun, where they held UC Irvine and Georgia State to a combined 51.5 points per game, limiting those opponents to just 29% shooting from the field and 18% from deep across the two contests.
FEW LEFT STANDING
• With a decisive 77-58 win over Georgia State, NM State improved to 6-0, joining a shrinking list of just 25 undefeated teams remaining in the country. The Aggies are also now the only undefeated program left in Conference USA, further solidifying their early-season statement.
JUICE MAN
• Graduate forward Julius Mims continues to assert himself as one of NM State's most impactful performers. Mims is nearly averaging a double-double with 9.4 points (second on the team) and a team-high 8.6 rebounds per game. His rebounding production ranks second in Conference USA, trailing only Liberty's Zach Cleveland (9.2), and he sits 45th nationally in defensive rebounds per game, pulling down 6.0 per contest.
SCOUTING THE JAGUARS
• South Alabama enters Tuesday's game led by head coach Ritchie Riley, now in his 10th season guiding the Jaguars and coming off an impressive 21-11 campaign. In their most recent outing, South Alabama delivered a dominant 82-58 road win over UTSA.
• Offensively, the Jaguars are paced by junior forward Adam Olsen, who leads the team with 16 points per game.
• On the glass, senior forward Randy Brown anchors the interior presence, averaging a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game. Containing Olsen's scoring punch and Brown's rebounding impact will be central to NM State's game plan as the Aggies seek to extend their unbeaten streak.
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).
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