LAS CRUCES, N.M.-The New Mexico State men’s basketball team defeated Western New Mexico, 111-83, in its only exhibition game of the year, Monday, Nov. 2, at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M.
The Aggies had five players in double figures with senior guard Jonathan Gibson, sophomore center Hamidu Rahman and freshman forward Tyrone Watson with 21 points each. Sophomore guard Hernst Laroche added 15 while junior guard Gordo Castillo chipped in 14.
“I thought it was a good outing for our first time out,” head coach Marvin Menzies said. “We achieved our goal of playing a lot of new guys.”
Rahman recorded the only double-double of the game with 10 rebounds while junior forward Robert Lumpkins led all rebounders with 12 boards.
NM State ended the first half with a 10-2 run in the last 2:40 to take a 53-35 lead into the break. The Aggies had a balanced offensive in the first half with Gibson scoring a team-high 11 points. Laroche added 10 while Rahman and Castillo contributed eight points each.
Defensively, the Aggies out-rebounded the Mustangs, 27-13, after the first 20 minutes and had a 4-0 advantage in blocked shots.
The Aggies open the 2009-10 season at Saint Mary’s, Nov. 13, before the host New Mexico, Nov. 17, in Las Cruces.
Courtesy: Tim Barnett-Queen
