Texas just messed with New Mexico State.
The Aggies lost all three games on their three-game trek in the Lone Star State, falling 77-75 to South Alabama on Dec. 2 in Katy, 77-69 to Abilene Christian on Dec. 6 in Abilene and 83-70 to Tulsa on Dec. 13 in Frisco. NM State was 6-0 for the first time in 56 years heading into the stretch but now hopes to pick up the pieces.
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The Aggies (6-3) will want to do that quickly. Conference USA play for them begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21, at home against Sam Houston (7-3). After increasing conference games per team from 18 to 20 this season, CUSA gave its teams an option to move their first one up by at least one week. Both NM State coach Jason Hooten and Bearkats coach Chris Mudge mutually agreed to do so and not start CUSA play with three games in seven days between the end of December and the beginning of January.
The Aggies had defensive lapses recently that are atypical of Hooten’s teams. NM State allowed opponents to shoot over 50% during a half in all three of its Texas games, including the 63.6% mark Tulsa earned in the first half last Saturday.
The Aggies are still holding teams to under 40% shooting overall at 39.4%. However, that must be consistent through both halves.
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“We did a poor job in those three games of keeping the ball in front (of us),” Hooten said during a Dec. 17 press conference. “When you get beat off penetration, then it creates a lot of helping. When you have to help, (that’s) when you give up open shots to people. We’ve got to go back to doing a good job of being who we are, and that’s to keep that basketball in front. You just can’t keep constantly getting beat off the dribble.”
Jemel Jones drives to the basket against Abilene Christian on Dec. 6, 2025, in Abilene, TX.
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The next defensive challenge won’t be easy. Sam Houston is one of CUSA’s highest-scoring teams, having averaged 86.2 points per game so far this season. The Bearkats don’t have a scorer among the conference’s top 15 players in points per contest, but that hasn’t mattered much. They play fast, have three players averaging more than 10 points per game and average 75.4 possessions per contest.
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“They have a lot of speed and quickness,” Hooten said. “They’re really trying to score, they’re trying to get out, trying to get up and down. We’re gonna have to be prepared for that.
“They still do a lot of the same things that Chris and I did when I was there, and he’s added a lot of his twists and a lot of things that he believes in. I just think, overall, they’ve got a really good team. It’s gonna be a struggle, and it’s gonna be a battle.”
If anything, NM State hopes its recent losses become learning opportunities.
“We’ve got to come out stronger,” forward Julius Mims said. “We can’t give the opponent the upper hand at the beginning of the game.
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“I think we’re learning a lot about ourselves, for sure, especially after these three losses. But you’ve got to learn from your losses so you can grow.”
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Hooten on rotations
When asked if there could be any notable changes to the starting lineup or rotation, Hooten said he doesn’t have a “clear picture” on either yet.
This is because, for Hooten, many players have not “separated themselves” from each other. It appears he wants more balance, as he mentioned players who may make shots off the bench but aren’t playing good enough defense, or the reverse.
NMSU guard Gabe Pickens takes the ball up the court against South Alabama on Dec. 2, 2025, in Katy, TX.
Hooten’s starting lineup has mostly been the same all season, consisting of guards Gabe Pickens, Anthony Wrzeszcz and Jemel Jones, Mims and center Cyr Malonga. Exceptions came when forward Jae’Coby Osborne replaced Mims against New Mexico Highlands on Nov. 11 due to injury and when guard Chris Terrell started ahead of Pickens against ACU.
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“We tell all of our players, ‘You just got to do a better job of making it hard on me,'” Hooten said. “Making it hard on me as to who I’m going to play because you’re playing well, not because I’m trying to find somebody that is trying to get in the groove.”
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Hooten talks Adidas partnership
NM State announced Adidas as its future apparel partner, pending “final details”, on Tuesday, Dec. 16, and they’ll officially replace Under Armour on July 1, 2026.
Hooten said he didn’t know much about the deal before it was announced but that it’s “exciting.” It’s something with which Hooten is fully on board if Aggies athletic director Joe Fields has confidence in.
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“I know if it’s what Joe decided on in our administration, then I know it’s a good deal, because I got a lot of trust in Joe and our administration (on) what we’re deciding on,” Hooten said. “I know if he made that decision, or they made that decision, then that’s probably a really, really good deal for our programs and our kids, our student-athletes, our university.”
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: NMSU searching for more defensive consistency against Sam Houston
