Aggies Hit the Road for Final Stretch of Conference Play

What: Game Thirty 
Who: NM State (16-13, 9-7 CUSA) vs Louisiana Tech (19-10, 8-8 CUSA) 
When: Thursday, Mar. 6, 5:30 p.m. MT 
Where: Ruston, La. – Thomas Assembly Center (8,000) 

THE OPENING TIP 

• Fresh off a dominant 65-47 victory over Western Kentucky in their final home game of the season, the Aggies hit the road for their last two away matchups. The journey begins in Ruston, Louisiana, where they will face LA Tech on Thursday, March 6, at 5:30 p.m. 

• In the all-time series between the two programs, the Aggies holds the edge with a 16-6 advantage. Earlier this season, they made a statement with a dominant 78-48 victory over the Bulldogs – their largest margin of victory in conference play this season and the most lopsided win in program history against LA Tech. 

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. 

• The Aggies have been dominant on the glass, ranking second in CUSA in offensive rebounding with 11.6 per game. On the individual side, graduate forward Peter Filipovity stands as the second-leading rebounder in the league, pulling down 8.2 boards per contest. He also ranks first in CUSA in defensive rebounds per game (5.96) 

• Senior guard Christian Cook continues to lead the Aggies in scoring, averaging 13.2 points per game – placing him 12th in the conference. He is also one of CUSA’s top three-point shooters, ranking seventh in the league in threes made per game (2.3) with 67 total on the season 

• Zawdie Jackson has been a steady presence in the backcourt, ranking 10th in CUSA in assists per game (3.3) 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 80% to rank seventh in CUSA. 

STATEMENT WINS 

• NM State recorded its third 20+ point victory in conference play with a commanding 28-point win over FIU – the most in Conference USA this season. The Aggies’ other dominant victories came against Louisiana Tech and UTEP.  

PROLIFIC PETER 

• Since rejoining the lineup after missing two games, Hungary native Peter Filipovity has been the Aggies’ most consistent performer, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding. Over the last five contests, he has averaged 17.5 points and nine rebounds per game. 

• Filipovity’s dominant return not only propelled NM State to become the first team to sweep the Jacksonville State-Kennesaw State road trip in conference play but also highlighted his ability to take over games. Against Jacksonville State, he delivered one of his best performances of the season, posting a team-high 20 points and 12 rebounds. 

THE TSHIMANGA EFFECT 

• Over the last five games, NM State has committed to a bigger lineup by inserting Nate Tshimanga into the frontcourt alongside his brother, Emmanuel. Despite not starting any previous conference games, Tshimanga has now earned five consecutive starts, and his increased role has paid dividends. 

• His usage has jumped significantly, averaging 19.2 minutes per game over the last five contests – up from just 4.4 minutes per game in the previous 10. Since his addition to the starting lineup, NM State’s rebounding margin has surged from +0.4 to +9.0, while their blocks per game have increased from 1.7 to 2.2. 

BENCH BOOST 

• The Aggies’ depth has been a driving force behind their success, leading Conference USA in bench points with an impressive 24.8 per game. Graduate forwards Peter Filipovity and Robert Carpenter have been pivotal in this effort. 

• Filipovity, who has started 17 games this season, returned to action after a brief absence and has come off the bench in four of the last five games, continuing to post a solid 12.5 points per game. 

• Meanwhile, Carpenter has been a consistent offensive spark, averaging 9.8 points per game off the bench, further solidifying the Aggies’ scoring depth. 

DEFENSE LEADS THE CHARGE 

• NM State’s defense has reached another level, holding four of its last five opponents under 53 points. 

• That stretch includes dominant performances against two of CUSA’s top-scoring teams, as the Aggies forced Kennesaw State (49) and Western Kentucky (47) to their season-low point totals. 

PERIMETER PATROL 

• NM State’s perimeter defense has been elite this season, ranking fifth in the nation in three-point percentage defense by holding opponents to just 28.3% from beyond the arc. 

• The Aggies have turned up the defensive pressure even more over their last five games, limiting opponents to a frigid 21.8% (27-124) from deep. Their dominance was on full display against Middle Tennessee, where they smothered the Blue Raiders in the first half, holding them to just 1-13 (8%) from three-point range. 

NO EASY NIGHTS 

• Conference USA has cemented itself as one of the toughest leagues in college basketball. As of March 5, CUSA and the A-10 are the only two non-Power Four conferences with at least nine teams ranked inside the top 170 in KenPom rankings. CUSA boasts nine of its 10 members in that tier, while the A-10 has 11 of 15 inside the threshold. 

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 BULLDOGS 

• The Bulldogs enter Saturday’s matchup as one of the most efficient offensive teams in Conference USA. They rank second in the league in assist/turnover ratio (1.23), assists per game (15.6), effective field goal percentage (54.3%), and free throw percentage. 

• Defensively, the Bulldogs are among the top in CUSA, allowing just 68.5 points per game – good for third in the conference in scoring defense. 

• Senior forward Daniel Batcho leads the Bulldogs’ offensive attack, averaging a team-high 17.3 points per game. A dominant presence in the paint, Batcho leads CUSA in total blocks with 59 and owns the league’s best field goal percentage at 68.6%, which also ranks second nationally. 

• The Bulldogs’ offense runs through senior guard Sean Newman, who leads CUSA and ranks third in the nation in assists per game with 8.1. He also sits second in the conference in assist/turnover ratio at 2.62. 

• On the glass, Kaden Cooper leads the team with 7.3 rebounds per game. He is also second in CUSA in defensive rebounds per game, averaging 5.9 per contest. 

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