The New Mexico State men’s basketball team enters the WAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed and is set to play No. 6 seed San Jose State, Thursday, March 11, at 9:30 p.m. at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nev. The game is available on KGRT 104 FM with the ‘Voice of the Aggies’ Jack Nixon. With a win, the Aggies meet the Nevada/Idaho winner Friday, March 12 at 10 p.m. on ESPN2. The WAC Championship game is slated for Saturday, March 13 at 8 p.m. on ESPN2 for a berth to the NCAA Tournament.
New Mexico State Aggies
The Aggies tied for second place in the WAC this season with an 11-5 conference record and are 19-11 overall. Junior guard Jahmar Young posts a team-high 20.9 points per contest while senior guard Jonathan Gibson adds 17.8 points per game and sophomore forward Troy Gillenwater provides 14.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Junior forward Wendell McKines supplies 10.6 points and 9.9 rebounds per contest while sophomore center Hamidu Rahman is contributing with 10.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
Scouting San Jose State
The Spartans are 14-16 and tied for sixth in the WAC with a 6-10 record this season. Junior guard Adrian Oliver has a team-high 22.5 points per game and he was named to the first team All-WAC this season. Senior guard Robert Owens and senior center Chris Oakes are contributing with 10.6 and 10.5 points per game, respectively.
Series Notes
The Aggies lead the all-time series, 28-11, after splitting the regular season series with the Spartans. Each team won on its home court this year. The Spartans won the first meeting of the season, 93-84, Jan. 23, in San Jose, Calif., and the Aggies won the rematch, 94-82, in Las Cruces. NM State has met San Jose State in one previous tournament game. The Aggies lost to the Spartans, 71-54, March 5, 1987 in the PACC Tournament.
Previous Meetings
Junior guard Jahmar Young posted a team-high 25 points for the Aggies in the 94-82 win over San Jose State, Feb. 6 in Las Cruces. NM State had five players in double figures in the victory. Senior guard Jonathan Gibson added 20 points while sophomore forward Troy Gillenwater had 19 points and 11 rebounds in his season debut.
NM State suffered its first WAC road loss of the season at San Jose State, 93-84, Jan. 23, and the Aggies’ four-game winning streak was snapped. Junior guard Jahmar Young scored a career-high 34 points and senior guard Jonathan Gibson added 19. The Aggies made a season-high 14 3-pointers on, a season-high and school record, 38 attempts. NM State also recorded a season-low six turnovers in the loss.
WAC Tournament History
2005-06 (Reno, Nev.)
March 9 defeated Hawai’i, 58-57
March 10 lost to Nevada, 70-59
2006-07 (Las Cruces)
March 8 defeated Louisiana Tech, 77-70
March 9 defeated Boise State, 88-69
March 10 defeated Utah State, 72-70
2007-08 (Las Cruces)
March 13 defeated Idaho, 73-53
March 14 defeated Nevada, 83-75
March 15 lost to Boise State, 102-107 (3OT)
2008-09 (Reno, Nev.)
March 12 defeated Boise State, 80-70
March 13 lost to Utah State, 70-71
Young, Gibson, McKines Earn All-WAC Honors
Junior guard Jahmar Young, senior guard Jonathan Gibson and junior forward Wendell McKines earned All-WAC honors in 2009-10. Young was named to the first team for the second consecutive year. Gibson garnered second team accolades and McKines was an honorable mention selection. This is the first year since the 2005-06 season that the Aggies have had multiple all-league honorees.
Scouting Nevada
The Wolf Pack is 19-11 and the No. 2 seed in the WAC Tournament. WAC Player of the Year, sophomore forward Luke Babbitt paces Nevada with a team-best 21.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Junior guard Armon Johnson adds 16.0 points per game while senior guard Brandon Field and senior forward Joey Shaw are supplying 14.6 and 10.4 points per contest, respectively.
Series Notes
NM State has a 16-14 advantage in the all-time series despite Nevada taking the series this season, 77-67, Jan. 4, in Las Cruces, and 100-92, March 4 in Reno, Nev. The last time the Aggies faced the Wolf Pack in tournament action, NM Sate won 83-75 in the WAC Tournament semifinals, March 14, 2008, in Las Cruces. The first time the two teams met in the WAC tournament, Nevada won, 70-59, March 10, 2006 in Reno.
Previous Meetings
The Aggies fell at Nevada, 100-92, March 4, inside the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nev. Junior guard Jahmar Young scored a team-high 22 points while senior guard Jonathan Gibson and sophomore forward Troy Gillenwater added 17 each. Junior forward Wendell McKines posted the lone double-double of the contest with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
NM State suffered its first WAC loss of the season with a 77-67 decision to Nevada, Jan. 4, in Las Cruces. All five Aggie starters scored in double figures and junior forward Wendell McKines had a team-high 16 points.
Scouting Idaho
The Vandals enter the WAC Tournament as the No. 7 seed with a 15-15 record. Idaho has three players with double-figure averages. Senior guard Mac Hopson leads the way with 14.4 points per game. Senior guard Kashif Watson provides 10.7 points per game and senior guard Steffan Johnson adds 10.2 points per contest.
Series Notes
The Aggies have a 17-3 advantage in the all-time series after sweeping the Vandals this year. NM State won, 75-72, Jan. 11 in Moscow, Idaho, and 74-57, Feb. 24, in Las Cruces. The two teams have met only once in the WAC Tournament and the Aggies won, 73-53, March 13, 2008 in Las Cruces.
Previous Meetings
Junior guard Jahmar Young scored a game-high 23 points in the 74-57 win over Idaho, Feb. 24, at the Pan American Center in the Aggies’ first nationally televised game of the year on ESPN2. Senior guard Jonathan Gibson added 15 points while junior forward Wendell McKines had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore center Hamidu Rahman posted a career-high seven blocks against the Vandals, Feb. 24. The Aggie defense held a team under 60 points for the second time this season.
Junior guard Jahmar Young scored a then season-high 32 points to lead NM State to a 75-72 win at Idaho, Jan. 11, inside Cowan Spectrum in Moscow, Idaho. Young was the first player to record a 30-point game in WAC play this season. Senior guard Jonathan Gibson added 18 points for the Aggies.
Double Trouble
Sophomore center Hamidu Rahman and junior forward Wendell McKines lead the Aggies in double-doubles this season with seven each. Sophomore forward Troy Gillenwater also has a pair of double-doubles this year.
Scoring Machines
With two players entering the 1,000-point club this season, senior guard Jonathan Gibson and junior guard Jahmar Young continue to climb the all-time scoring list at NM State. Gibson is currently No. 7 on the list with 1,479 career points while Young is No. 10 with 1,416 career points.
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