How first-half defense, second-half offense drove NMSU basketball to win over New Mexico

Teams making just 33.3% of their shots at halftime usually face an uphill climb in the second half. Yet New Mexico State was not only still in the game, it was tied.

In fact, the Aggies led for most of the first half against New Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 15, at home. That was because of defense.

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As is typical of teams coached by NM State’s Jason Hooten, the Aggies were tenacious on defense against the Lobos and held their rivals to 37.5% shooting in the first half. UNM didn’t even earn its first lead until going up 27-26 with 1:27 left until halftime, and NM State tied it at 27 before the buzzer.

The defensive play gave the Aggies time to heat up offensively, and boy, did they. NM State (3-0) shot 48.3% from the field in the second half, powering it to a 76-68 win over UNM (3-1).

“That’s how I was raised,” Hooten said after the game. “There’s going to be nights when you don’t make your shots, but you’ve always got to play defense, and I thought our defense tonight in the first half kept us tight. I really felt like there were a lot of shots in the first half that went in and out, and I just thought we were going to shoot it better in the second half. And thank the Lord, we did.”

NMSU’s Chris Terrell shoots an open 3-point shot against the Lobos on Saturday night.

TAKEAWAYS FROM THE GAME: Aggies grind out rivalry win at home against Lobos

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Three-point shooting was where the Aggies really improved. NM State started by making three of its first seven 3-pointers, but then missed its next 11 before halftime. Fortunes improved from that range as the Aggies went 7-for-14 on 3-pointers in the second half, with six coming in the final 14 minutes that either tied the game, gave them a lead or extended a lead.

NM State guard Anthony Wrzeszcz was his team’s most successful 3-point shooter and leading scorer. All but one of his shot attempts were 3-pointers, and he went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. He particularly found success on 3-pointers from the corner, draining…

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Publish date : 2025-11-16 06:11:00

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