Basketball: Aggies Fall in Overtime at Middle Tennessee

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – NM State (13-15, 6-12 CUSA) battled for 45 minutes today but came up just short in an 86–85 overtime loss to Middle Tennessee (15–14, 9–9 CUSA) inside the Murphy Center.  

Coming out of the gate, both teams struggled to find rhythm offensively and went scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of action. With 16:05 remaining in the first half, Middle Tennessee’s Sean Smith connected from beyond the arc to put the Blue Raiders on the board first.

On the ensuing possession, Anthony Wrzeszcz buried a three-pointer of his own to knot the score at 3–3 and spark the Aggies offensively. From there, both teams began to settle in, trading baskets as the tempo picked up midway through the half. 

After Middle Tennessee stretched its lead to 31–23 with 5:23 remaining before the break, the Aggies flipped the script in emphatic fashion with a dominant 19–5 run. Jayland Randall played a pivotal role during the surge, scoring eight points and knocking down two three-pointers to help erase the deficit.  

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Middle Tennessee responded in the second half, gradually trimming the deficit before turning the contest into a back-and-forth battle down the stretch. 

Jones took command offensively, creating his own shot and finishing through contact as the teams exchanged leads in the final minutes of regulation. Anthony Wrzeszcz delivered timely scoring from the perimeter, while Mims continued to battle on the glass to keep possessions alive. With neither side able to create separation late, the game extended into overtime. 

The extra period mirrored the intensity of regulation. Jones delivered a clutch jumper with 10 seconds remaining to give NM State an 85–84 edge. 

However, the Blue Raiders capitalized in transition in the closing seconds, converting a fast-break dunk to reclaim the lead at 86–85. Jones’ contested three-point attempt at the buzzer narrowly missed, sealing the one-point defeat. 

NUMBERS OF NOTE    

• Jemel Jones led the Aggies with his season-high 34 points on an efficient 13-24 shooting performance. He added seven rebounds, marking his second-highest rebounding total this season. His 34-point outing marks him the first Aggie to score 30+ points in a game since Feb. 19, 2022, when Teddy Allen scored 30 at Grand Canyon. 
• The Aggies had four players score in double figures on the day Jemel Jones (34) Jayland Randall (14), Julius Mims(12) and Anthony Wrzeszcz (11). 
• Randall came up big in the first half and finished the game with 14 points while going 4-8 from beyond the arc. This marks his 13th game this season with at least two made three-pointers. 
• Jae’Coby Osborne finished the day with four points and five rebounds. With five boards, he has now recorded at least five rebounds in six consecutive games. 

For complete coverage of 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).