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Zawdie Jackson led NM State with 21 points and went 4-5 from beyond the arc.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Photo: Courtesy
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Closing out a three-game homestand, NM State (13-12, 6-6) aimed to give the Panamaniacs something to cheer about before hitting the road again next week. Hosting FIU (8-18, 2-11), the Aggies sought to complete a season sweep and end a three-game losing streak. Behind an impressive performance from senior guard Zawdie Jackson, NM State cruised to a dominant 76-48 victory over the Panthers.
FIU opened the scoring with a layup from its leading scorer Jayden Brewer. NM State quickly responded as forward Emmanuel Tshimanga was fouled and knocked down both free throws to get the Aggies on the board.
After the teams traded baskets to knot the game at 6-6, senior guard Christian Cook sank NM State’s first three-pointer of the night, giving the Aggies a 9-6 lead – a lead they maintained for the remainder of the game.
Despite FIU’s efforts to stay within striking distance, a layup by Vianney Salatchoum narrowed the gap to 19-16 with 7:51 left in the first half. However, the Aggies responded with an 18-3 run featuring contributions from six different players, extending their lead to 37-19.
FIU would show some resilience, closing out the first half on a 7-0 run, capped by two free throws from Dashon Gittens with three seconds left, cutting NM State’s lead to 37-26 at halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Crimson & White started the second half strong, with Zawdie Jackson draining a contested three-pointer on the opening possession to get things rolling. As time went on, NM State continued to control the pace, highlighted by a Robert Carpenter three-pointer that extended the lead to 56-36 with 11:27 remaining.
Maintaining their momentum, the Aggies secured their first 20-point advantage of the night and never looked back. They kept up the pressure, securing a decisive 76-48 victory to break their three-game losing streak and close out the homestand on a high note.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
· Zawdie Jackson led the Aggies with 21 points and four assists, shooting an efficient 72% clip going 8-11 from the field and 4-5 from three-point range. This marks his second 20+ point game of the season, the first being a season-high 24 points against Utah Tech on Nov. 9, 2024.
· NM State secured its third 20+ point victory in CUSA play with a 28-point win over FIU, the most in the league. The other two decisive wins came against LA Tech and UTEP. Liberty is the only other team with multiple 20+ point wins, totaling two.
· The Aggies snapped their shooting slump by hitting 46% from the field and a season-high 50% from three-point range (11-22). This was their best shooting performance since defeating UTEP by 28 points earlier this season.
· The brothers Emmanuel and Nate Tshimanga made their first start together, forming NM State’s tallest starting frontcourt this season (Emmanuel at 7’0″ and Nate at 6’10”). Nate posted seven points – his second-highest of the season – along with eight rebounds, his best since grabbing 10 against Pepperdine on Nov. 29. Emmanuel contributed six points and two rebounds while going a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line for the first time this season with at least four attempts.
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