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NM State held Middle Tennessee scoreless in final minutes to secure a hard-fought road victory.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Photo: Courtesy
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Looking to halt a three-game slide, NM State (12-9, 5-3) hit the road to take on Middle Tennessee (14-7, 5-3). Despite struggling to score late, a relentless defensive stand in the final minutes proved to be the difference as the Aggies held the Blue Raiders scoreless down the stretch to secure a 61-57 victory and get back on track.
The Blue Raiders wasted no time setting the tone, winning the tip and striking first with a mid-range jumper from their leading scorer, Jestin Porter. However, NM State quickly responded as senior guard Dionte Bostick drove through the lane for a smooth layup to even the score at 2-2.
After falling behind 7-4 early, graduate forward Robert Carpenter sparked the Aggies with a three-pointer to tie the game at 7-7, igniting a 12-4 run. During the run, Peter Filipovity would score eight of NM State’s last nine points, propelling them to a 19-11 advantage.
Middle Tennessee momentarily stopped the Aggies’ surge with a three-pointer from Justin Bufford, but NM State countered with an 11-0 run, fueled by five different scorers, to extend the lead to 32-16 – their largest of the night. Despite the momentum, the Blue Raiders clawed their way back, trimming the deficit to 35-26 by halftime.
In the second half, Middle Tennessee struck first again, but NM State quickly reestablished its double-digit lead, controlling the tempo for most of the period. However, with 7:33 remaining, forward Chris Loofe drilled a three from the top of the key, sparking a 12-2 Blue Raider run that cut the Aggie lead to just two at 59-57 with 3:51 left to play.
Though NM State went without a field goal for the final 6:28, their defense proved to be shatterproof. The Aggies locked in and held Middle Tennessee scoreless for the final 3:51 while capitalizing on key free throws from Christian Cook to grind out a crucial 61-57 win – snapping their losing streak and regaining momentum in conference play.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
· Peter Filipovity delivered another strong performance, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds – just one board shy of securing his fourth consecutive double-digit rebounding game and his sixth double-double of the season. He also recorded four steals, narrowly missing his career-high of five.
· Robert Carpenter remained consistent, matching his previous outing with 16 points while also grabbing seven rebounds – just two behind Filipovity for the team lead.
· The Aggies racked up 42 points in the paint, tying their second-highest total of the season and marking just the fifth time this year they’ve reached 40+ points in the paint.
· After a run of double-digit scoring performances, Christian Cook was held to a season-low five points. However, he still came through in the clutch, sinking the game-sealing free throws to secure the victory for NM State.
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