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Aggies seek to build on strong defensive play in postseason battle.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Photo: Courtesy
What: Game Thirty-Two
Who: NM State (17-14, 10-8 CUSA) vs Kennesaw State (18-13, 10-8 CUSA)
When: Thursday, Mar. 13, 4:30 p.m. MT
Where: Huntsville, Ala. – Propst Arena (10,000)
THE OPENING TIP
• After closing out the regular season with a hard-fought 76-69 road loss to Sam Houston in Huntsville, Texas, the Aggies now turn their attention to Huntsville, Alabama, where they will face fourth-seeded Kennesaw State in the opening round of the CUSA Championships on Thursday, March 13, at 4:30 p.m.
• This will mark the third meeting between NM State and Kennesaw State this season. In their first matchup in Las Cruces, the Owls used a strong second-half surge to secure a 69-56 victory over the Aggies. However, NM State responded in the rematch in Georgia, grinding out a defensive battle to earn a 60-49 win while holding Kennesaw State to its lowest point total of the season.
THE SECOND GO AROUND
• In his debut season leading the Aggies, Coach Hooten guided the Aggies to a 7-9 record in league play and helped deliver several memorable highlights, including a thrilling win over I-10 rival UTEP, a remarkable 23-point second-half comeback to defeat eventual CUSA Tournament Champion Western Kentucky, and an impressive 12-3 record on their home court at the Pan American Center.
• NM State’s home support was unmatched, as the Aggies led all Conference USA programs in average home attendance, drawing 5,638 fans per game. Hooten wrapped up his first season with a 13-19 overall record, bringing his career head coaching total to 274-188 and setting a strong foundation for the program’s future.
• After leading NM State to a 6-9 record in non-conference play last season, the Aggies improved that mark this year and will begin CUSA competition with a 7-6 record.
BY THE NUMBERS
• NM State continues to rank among the top teams in Conference USA in some key statistical categories. The Aggies have been one of the league’s toughest defensive units, holding opponents to just 65.5 points per game – good for the second-lowest scoring defense in CUSA. They also rank first in the conference in field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to a .394 clip from the field, which ranks 12th in the nation. Additionally, NM State has been elite in defending the perimeter, holding opponents to 28.6% from three-point range, placing them sixth in the country.
• The Aggies have been dominant on the glass, ranking second in CUSA in offensive rebounding, pulling down 11.7 per game. On the individual side, graduate forward Peter Filipovity stands as the second-leading rebounder in the league, pulling down 8.3 boards per contest. He has also been a key offensive piece, ranking 14th in CUSA in scoring at 12.8 points per game.
• Zawdie Jackson has been a steady presence in the backcourt, ranking 10th in CUSA in assists per game (3.1) while also holding the fourth-best assist/turnover ratio in the league (2.3). He has also been efficient at the free-throw line, shooting 78% to rank eighth best in CUSA.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
• Graduate forward Peter Filipovity has been the heart of the Aggies this season, consistently making his presence felt through his scoring and rebounding.
• Following a dominant 19-point, 12-rebound performance on the road against LA Tech, Filipovity recorded his eighth double-double of the season – ranking second in Conference USA, trailing only Middle Tennessee’s Essam Mostafa, who leads the league with 13.
ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
• NM State’s Christian Cook and Peter Filipovity were named to the All-CUSA Third Team after leading the Aggies throughout the season. Cook, the team’s driving force, lived up to his Preseason All-CUSA honors, finishing as NM State’s top scorer with 13.0 points per game while also leading in three-pointers made (68) and three-point percentage (37%). His consistency was key, highlighted by a 13-game streak of scoring in double figures and a career-high-tying 27-point performance in an overtime win against rival New Mexico. Cook also became the first Aggie to earn CUSA Player of the Week honors since the move to CUSA after averaging 22.0 points in the opening week of league play.
• Filipovity, meanwhile, was a dominant presence inside, averaging 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds while ranking second in CUSA in defensive rebounds (5.9) and total rebounds per game (8.3). His eight double-doubles were second-most in the conference, including a career-best 17-rebound outing against Jacksonville State – the most by an Aggie since 2022. A relentless force on both ends, Filipovity also earned Player of the Week honors after a standout road trip against Jax State and Kennesaw State.
SUPPORTING CAST
• The Aggies’ depth has been a major factor in their success, ranking second in Conference USA in bench scoring with an impressive 24.8 points per game. Graduate forward Robert Carpenterhas played a key role in this effort, providing a reliable offensive spark off the bench with 9.8 points per game, further strengthening NM State’s scoring depth.
• Freshman Jae’Coby Osborne and forward Nate Tshimanga have also emerged as key contributors during the Aggies’ recent surge. Since the start of conference play, both players have steadily earned more minutes, making their biggest impact over the last seven games. During this stretch, Osborne’s playing time has increased from 7.6 to 16.4 minutes per game, while Tshimanga’s has jumped from 5.3 to 19.8. Their expanded roles have bolstered NM State defensively and on the boards, helping the Aggies hold opponents to just 56.9 points per game (down from 65.3), limit teams to 35.4% shooting from the field (down from 42%), and improve their rebounding margin from +0.5 to +8.1.
ONE FINAL RIDE
• NM State broadcaster Jack Nixon is nearing the end of his remarkable 45-year career as the voice of Aggie athletics. A true legend on the Aggie airwaves, Nixon will retire after calling more than 1,400 basketball games, leaving behind an enduring legacy with the Crimson & White.
THE BROTHERLY CONNECTION
• Amidst the roster changes, Coach Hooten successfully brought a pair of brothers, Emmanuel and Nate Tshimanga, to play together in the Crimson and White. This marks the first time the Tshimanga brothers will share the court at the Division I level. Their arrival brings a unique family bond to NM State, adding depth and chemistry to the Aggie lineup.
• Emmanuel Tshimanga joins NM State after two seasons at UC San Diego, where he consistently demonstrated his ability to impact the game off the bench. In the 2023-24 season, Emmanuel averaged 14.1 minutes over 22 games, ranking third on the team with 5.0 rebounds per game and setting a personal best of two steals against Pepperdine. In his previous season (2022-23), he was recognized as the UCU Athlete of the Week and put up impressive performances, including a career-high 13 rebounds in a win at Eastern Michigan and an 18-point effort against UC Santa Barbara. He appeared in 24 games, making ten starts, and was the team’s second-leading rebounder with 6.2 boards per game.
• Nate Tshimanga arrives in Las Cruces following a season at Utah Valley, where he played in all 32 games, made six starts, and contributed an average of 13.4 minutes per contest. Known for his efficiency, he shot 46% from the field, averaging 2.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. Prior to Utah Valley, Nate spent the 2022-23 season at Troy University, where he played in 21 games, made four starts, and finished second on the team in field goal percentage (50%). He posted a season-high 12 points and nine rebounds against Montevallo.
ACCORDING TO OTHERS
• In the Conference USA preseason poll announced on Oct. 10, the Aggies were picked to finish seventh, with Christian Cook as their sole representative on the Preseason All-Conference Team. This projection follows a 2022-23 season where NM State posted a 13-19 overall record and a 7-9 record in conference play.
• Louisiana Tech emerged as the preseason favorite, securing three first-place votes and 87 points. Western Kentucky followed closely in second place with 85 points and two first-place votes, while Sam Houston was projected third with 83 points and three first-place nods. Middle Tennessee landed in fourth with 69 points and one first-place vote, while UTEP and Liberty tied for fifth at 62 points, with Liberty also receiving one first-place vote.
• NM State holds the seventh position with 39 points in the coaches’ poll, followed by Jacksonville State with 29 points. FIU and Kennesaw State rounded out the standings, tied for ninth place with 17 points each.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
• Kennesaw State closed out the regular season on a high note, picking up a hard-fought 74-70 road win over Jacksonville State. The Owls finished the year with an 18-13 overall record, including a 10-8 mark in Conference USA play.
• The Owls are led by second-year head coach Antoine Pettway, who has compiled a 33-29 record during his tenure at KSU.
• Offensively, Kennesaw State boasts the most potent attack in CUSA, leading the league with an average of 76.4 points per game. Their scoring firepower is fueled by the highest-scoring backcourt tandem in the conference – Adrian Wooley and Simeon Cottle. Wooley paces the Owls with 18.5 points per game, while Cottle is close behind at 17.7 per contest. Cottle is also a major threat from beyond the arc, ranking 12th in the nation in three-point attempts with 269 on the season. As a team, KSU is not shy from deep, averaging 28.1 three-point attempts per game – good for 28th in the country.
• On the boards, Kennesaw is a dominant force, not just in the conference but on a national scale. The Owls lead CUSA in rebounding, pulling down 40.7 boards per game—ranking eighth in the country. They also lead the conference in offensive rebounding, averaging 12.8 per outing. Forward Rongie Gordon anchors the glass, leading the team with 6.4 rebounds per game.
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