-and-
Lockdown defense and rebounding edge propel NM State to victory on senior day.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Photo: Courtesy
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – As the season winds down, the Aggies (16-13, 9-7) took the court at the Pan American Center for the final time this year, looking to cap off Senior Day with a memorable performance. With a dominant 65-47 victory over Western Kentucky (16-13, 7-9) on Saturday afternoon, they did just that. NM State controlled the game from the outset, never trailing after the opening minutes and stretching their lead to as many as 23 points in the second half.
Western Kentucky opened the game with an early three-pointer, but NM State quickly responded as Peter Filipovity connected on a layup to put the Aggies on the board. From there, NM State took control, using a balanced offensive attack and relentless defense to take a 34-20 lead into halftime.
Filipovity was dominant from the start, finishing with a game-high 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Aggies also got key contributions from Robert Carpenter and Zawdie Jackson, who each added 10 points to help NM State maintain its lead throughout.
Coming out of the break, NM State kept its foot on the gas, opening the second half with a three-pointer from Christian Cook to push the lead to 17. The Aggies’ defense remained stingy, limiting Western Kentucky to just 26.9% shooting for the game and holding them to six points in the paint.
Despite a brief push from the Hilltoppers midway through the second half, NM State never let them get closer than 14 points. Strong rebounding and efficient play in transition sealed the win for the Aggies, who finished the game with a 48-25 rebounding advantage and 24-6 edge in points in the paint.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
· Peter Filipovity recorded his seventh double-double of the season, leading the Aggies with 16 points and 11 rebounds. It is his second double-double in the last four games, with his previous coming against Jacksonville State, where he tallied 20 points and 12 boards.
· The Aggies dominated the glass, outrebounding Western Kentucky 48-25. Their +23 rebounding margin was their second largest of the season.
· NM State’s defense stifled the Hilltoppers, holding them to their second-lowest point total of the year at 47.
· A force in the paint, NM State outscored Western Kentucky 24-6 down low and added nine second-chance points. Their last dominant performance in the paint came against Jacksonville State, where they posted a 34-20 scoring advantage inside.
· Robert Carpenter made a strong impact with 10 points and four rebounds, marking his first double-digit scoring effort since the Aggies’ Feb. 13 matchup against FIU.
For complete coverage of NM State Men’s Basketball, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of Aggie athletics – and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateMBB), Instagram (@NMStateMBB), and like us on Facebook (NMStateMBB).
