Strong first-half push not enough as the Flyers pulled away late.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Photo: Courtesy
DAYTON, OHIO – After coming off a nail-biting win at home against Texas A&M Corpus Christi, the Aggies (3-1, 0-0) hit the road to take on an undefeated Dayton squad (5-0, 0-0), aiming to extend their winning streak. Despite a resilient push to trim the Flyers’ lead to just one point at halftime, NM State couldn’t withstand Dayton’s second-half surge, falling 74-53.
| 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggies | 28 | 25 | 53 |
| Flyers | 29 | 45 | 74 |
Both defenses were on full display in the early goings of the game as neither side could find the bottom of the net through the first minute and 55 seconds. Finally, Carl Cherenfant broke the seal as he drove the baseline and found a crease to finish with his right hand at the rim to give the Aggies their first lead. Following a Dayton three-pointer, NM State responded in the form of a three-pointer off the dribble from Aggie sharpshooter Christian Cook with 16:45 left on the clock.
Later, a combined four points from Dionte Bostick and Zawdie Jackson would come amid a 17-4 Flyer scoring run that put the home side ahead 20-11 with eight and a half minutes remaining in the period.
Robert Carpenter then would help keep the Aggies within striking distance as he was responsible for Aggies’ next five points to keep the deficit at single digits.
With 4:40 remaining in the first half, Cook knocked down a floating mid-range jumper to ignite a 12-2 Aggie run, reclaiming the lead for the first time since the opening minutes. However, Dayton’s Zed Key closed out the half with two free throws, giving the Flyers a narrow 29-28 edge heading into the break.
The second half opened with Dayton’s Nate Santos scoring a layup to extend the lead. Both teams traded baskets in the early minutes before Santos struck again—this time from beyond the arc. Carpenter responded with a three-pointer of his own, trimming the Flyers’ advantage to 40-35 with 15:25 remaining.
From there, the Flyers took control with a 20-6 run, highlighted by nine points from Santos, all coming from three-point range. This offensive surge pushed Dayton’s lead to 58-41 with 8:23 left to play.
Despite their efforts, the Aggies were unable to halt Dayton’s late momentum, resulting in NM State’s first loss of the season, 74-53.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
· After playing a season-high of 24 minutes, Peter Filipovity delivered his best performance of the season so far, posting a team-high 15 points while also pulling down seven rebounds for the Aggies.
· Dayton’s defense clamped down on the Aggies’ top perimeter threats, Christian Cook and Robert Carpenter, holding each to just a single made three-pointer. This marked the first time since Jan. 27, 2024, against Louisiana Tech, that the duo combined for fewer than two three-pointers in a game.
· As a team, the Aggies struggled from beyond the arc. Finishing with a season-low five made three-pointers and their lowest shooting percentage from deep this year, connecting on just 29% of their attempts.
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