Basketball: Sam Houston Cuts In — Aggies Leave the Dance in Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The music finally stopped for the New Mexico State Aggies men’s basketball Wednesday night.

After keeping their postseason hopes alive with a gritty win over Jacksonville State, the Aggies saw their Conference USA Tournament run end in the quarterfinals with a 69–61 loss to Sam Houston Bearkats men’s basketball inside Propst Arena.

For much of the night, the game carried the same rhythm that had defined New Mexico State’s season. The teams traded runs through a tightly contested first half, with neither side able to build much separation. Sam Houston carried a narrow lead into the break before the Aggies continued to battle their way back behind the scoring of Jemel Jones and timely contributions from Jae’Coby Osborne.

Jones finished with a game-high 19 points while Osborne added 10 on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting night. But the Aggies struggled to find consistent offense when it mattered most, shooting just 16 percent from three-point range and 58 percent from the free-throw line.

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The final minutes turned into a defensive standoff. Sam Houston did not make a field goal for the final 5:42 of the game, while the Aggies went the last 4:36 without a basket of their own. Despite holding the Bearkats scoreless from the floor during that stretch, New Mexico State could not close the gap before time expired.

The loss ends the Aggies’ season at 16–16, closing a campaign that often lived on the narrow margins between heartbreak and breakthrough.

For a few nights in Huntsville, it looked like the Aggies had found the rhythm to carry them all the way to a championship. The Do-Si-Do may have ended in Huntsville, but for our broader community, Aggie basketball is never far from the next dance.