Biggest game of the night: NMSU at Boise

The most important game of the night in the WAC -- that is in terms of how the WAC league games eventually play out this season and obviously keeping mind that it's early -- is New Mexico State against Boise State up in Idaho.

The Broncos own a home victory against San Jose State and a road win up in Moscow against Idaho to date so NMSU will actually be the first full-fledged test for Coach Greg Graham's squad. Yes, the Aggies are down in players but retain enough talent and firepower to give Boise State a solid challenge.

Big Matt Nelson will actually be facing off against someone bigger than him in Martin Iti, whose best talent is shotblocking. That will be a key duel. Also watch for how Reggie Larry performs. Boise wins if these two win their respective matchups.

New Mexico State has a road win against Idaho and a home victory over Fresno State so tonight's contest is its biggest challeneg this early in league play. Justin Hawkins will fill the stat sheet as usual so the key for the Aggies is how Jonathan Gibson performs. If he can get into the high teens or the twenties in scoring without having to take a same number of shots to do so then NMSU will be in good position to come away with a win. Also, Iti must remain out of foul trobule.

New Mexico State gets by Idaho on the road

The final score was actually closer than we expected but a WAC road win is nothing to discount or minimize. We know the Vandals are primarily a new version -- let's hope they are an improved one.

New Mexico State Aggies win WAC opener on the road at Idaho
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
1/03/2008

MOSCOW, Idaho - In front of a sparse crowd, the Aggies ended their road woes with a 78-68 victory over Idaho on Wednesday.

New Mexico State opened the Western Athletic Conference schedule with their first road win in eight tries this season, entering Saturday's home game against Fresno State at 7-9.

"It's such a long road," said NMSU head coach Marvin Menzies, who is now 1-0 in the WAC. "I should be more excited, but I can't stop thinking about Fresno State."

After a torrid first half where each team was 15-for-30 from the field, both teams cooled off early in the second half, but it was the Vandals who were ice cold from the field.

"We were just missing," said Idaho forward Clyde Johnson, whose team fell to 3-9 and 0-1 in the WAC. "They were playing us different, opening up the middle so that's how we came back, but we just weren't hitting shots and you can't win if you can't score."

Idaho knocked down six 3-pointers in the first half. The Vandals couldn't bring the Aggies out of their zone in the second half and the Aggies started to create easy opportunities off of long rebounds from missed 3s. Aggies sophomore guard Jonathan Gibson grabbed one of his five rebounds at the free throw lane and raced the length of the court, kissing a right-handed floater off the glass from the left side of the lane to put NMSU up 56-49 with 14:43 left.
"We zoned them a lot in the second half," Aggies senior center Martin Iti said. "We talked more to get through those screens."

Idaho came back to tie it at 61-61 with 9:25 to play, but the Aggies held off the Vandals by shooting 7-for-8 from the foul line in the last 42.3 seconds for their seventh win of the season...

Go here for the remainder.

Parsing the Aggies?

No, the name of this blog hasn't been changed but it sure seems more items get posted about New Mexico State men's basketball than any other WAC member.

Here comes a bunch more.

Jason Groves has been busy today with a couple of items-turned-into-articles. It always astounds us when seniors -- the supposed leaders on a team -- fall down in their respective commitments to academics. It's not like they have a couple more years to get back on the court.

Hawkins, Passos, Carter face eligibility issues
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
12/20/2007

LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State University men's basketball coach Marvin Menzies confirmed reports on Thursday morning that three players were not with the team as it traveled to Louisville for a game on Saturday.

Senior starters Justin Hawkins and Hatila Passos and junior Paris Carter returned to Las Cruces following the Aggies' 83-69 loss at the University of New Mexico on Wednesday night.

"They have to clear up some academic stuff before they can go out and play," Menzies said. "I am hoping they can get on a plane this afternoon. I found out after the game lastnight. Nothing is official. I am waiting to get some response from the academic people at our place."

NMSU Compliance Officer Braun Cartwright said NMSU is in the process of evaluating fall semester grades for student athletes. He said grades were made official on Thursday morning.

"We haven't made any final determinations," Cartwright said. "After each semester, we have to review that term's grades and GPA for the following semester."

This lengthier article followed:

COMMENTARY: New staff's honeymoon period ends
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
12/20/2007

LAS CRUCES - If there were any questions about when the honeymoon period for New Mexico State University men's basketball coach Marvin Menzies would end, those questions were answered in front of 17,243 Lobo fans on Wednesday night.

After an 83-69 loss to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Menzies said that the blame fell on him for not having his players ready for the road, where the Aggies fell to 0-6 on the year and 5-8 overall.

The Aggies were down one at the half and took a brief lead on the first possession of the second half before being outscored 16-0 and outclassed the next seven minutes, not to mention the porous defense that allowed UNM sophomore Roman Martinez to go off for a career-high 24 points - 19 more than his average coming in. Martinez, who is a player noted for making hustle plays, found openings in the Aggies' zone and man defense.

The Aggies have also unraveled on a more important front - the classroom.

On Thursday, Menzies confirmed senior starters Justin Hawkins, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, and center Hatila Passos, along with junior transfer guard Paris Carter, were not with the team as it traveled to Louisville for another stiff road contest on Saturday afternoon. Menzies was hopeful that the three players would clear up their academic issues and join the team before Saturday's tipoff, but it's become irrelevant in a season where eligibility issues were among Menzies' largest concerns during the first semester. NMSU freshman forward Herb Pope was on hand in Albuquerque to support his teammates even as he waits to be declared eligible by the NCAA...

Go here for the remainder.

A preview of New Mexico State men's basketball 2007-2008

Reggie-dom is no longer.

Debonair and suave has been replaced with Marvin Menzies, curiously also a former Louisville assistant like Theus.

So what is Menzies looking at?

Try four returning starters for one, and lots of experience. Plus, an incoming elite freshman recruit.

New Mexico State was 25-9, 11-5 in league, last season, including a stellar 19-1 at home. The only Achilles tendon of sort for Theus' team, as it is with most squads, was a 6-7 road mark. Mind you, .500 on the road is actually envious but it demonstrates that the Aggies of last season were not the powerhouse type of club that could enter hostile territory and usually succeed.

Also looking in the rear view mirror, the Aggies led the WAC in scoring offense at 78 ppg, shooting a lofty 48% as a team, second in the league. Theus' squad shot 39% on three-point attempts, again second overall.

Conversely, New Mexico State was eighth in scoring defense at 72.4 ppg.

As for personnel losses, role-playing guards Elijah Ingram, Shaun Davis, Ted Knauber and forward David Fisher have departed. None are spectacular or irreplaceable losses but still played solid roles in the Aggie 2006-2007 success.

Here's a look at the returning players:

Jonathan Gibson -- 6-1 180 point guard/shooting guard sophomore. Gibson was eased into D-1 last season but, to his credit, notched 22 assists versus 23 turnovers on the season--an adequate ratio for a frosh. The biggest obstacle he faces as a young point is learning to slow down his play and not attempt to force everything. Grasping when to initiate the action and when to let the game come to him is the next step he needs to take in his advancement.

Fred Peete -- shooting guard/wing 6-4 200 senior. Peete suffered an injury late in the season but managed 9.5 ppg., 4.0 rpg., while shooting 40% overall, 37% on 3's. Peete was also lauded for his defensive efforts, earning a spot on the All-WAC defensive team. Call him solid, if unspectacular.

Justin Hawkins -- 6-7 205 small forward senior. The go-to guy on the squad, Hawkins was a first team All-WAC selection after finishing sixth in the league in scoring at 15.6 ppg. He shot 52% from the floor, going to the foul line 185 times. Hawkins also contributed 79 assists and grabbed 6.6 rpg.

Trei Steward -- 6-7 240 power forward senior. He's the only D-1 transfer out of the original group of four (others: Peete, Iti, Hawkins) who hasn't made a mark with the Aggies as yet.

Hatila Passos -- 6-9 230 center senior. Passos is an inside banger, relying more on physical play than his skills set. He averaged 8.7 ppg. in 2006-2007, shooting shot 63% from the floor. His 149 free throw attempts were second to Hawkins. Passos also grabbed 6.1 rpg.

Martin Iti -- 7-0 240 center senior. Known for his defensive presence, he led the Aggies with 40 blocked shots while averaging 6.4 ppg. Iti shot 63% for the season but combined that with 36% from foul line. He actually entered the NBA draft when he was still at North Carolina Charlotte but a dose of reality caused him to withdraw. He remains at a less-than-NBA skill level but he'll find work overseas. He's from Australia.

Chris Cole -- 6-1 190 point guard sophomore. A transfer from Hartford, he led his former team with 78 assists while making 21 starts as a freshman. There is an opening for a pass-first point on the team so Cole could surprise people with his on-court minutes.

Here are the New Mexico State newcomers:

Herb Pope -- power forward 6-9 235 freshman. Although shot during a violent incident that wasn't his responsibility, Pope is well on the road to recovery and should be ready to compete for a starting spot in his freshman season. He was named a fourth team Parade All-American after averaging 19 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots a game in 2006-2007 as a Pennsylvania high schooler. Pope is a terrific 'catch' for the Aggies. A scouting service described Pope this way: "...a horse on the inside. Will battle using his length and strength."

DeAngelo Jones -- shooting guard 6-3 180 freshman. Out of Seattle, he averaged 16.2 ppg. this past season. Shooting is his best talent at this point. One scouting service said of Jones: "Fairly athletic wing with decent ball skills." Look for him to possibly redshirt.

Aaron "Gordo" Castillo -- shooting guard/wing 6-4 190 freshman. Coming from crosstown in Las Cruces, Castillo was twice named the Gatorade Player of the Year in New Mexico. He averaged 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists as a senior. He's another redshirt candidate.

Jahmar Young -- shooting guard/wing 6-5 175 freshman. Young was ranked by HOOPSCOOP as the 26th best prep recruit in the nation this past season. He will be the backcourt frosh who sees the most playing time. Per his prep coach Marc Hsu: "He is a high major kid going to a good mid-major program. I really think he could play at the Big East, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, any of those, schools. He is that level of a kid." Young's a Baltimore native.

JayDee Luster -- point guard 5-9 160 freshman. One listing has Luster as 5-8 and 140 but regardless, he was the player of the year in his San Diego league this season. He averaged 32.8 ppg. A description: "This guy is a good, smart point guard. He understands passing angles."

Paris Carter -- wing 6-4 225 junior. A second team NJCAA Division II All-American, Carter played at Cecil Community College MD, averaging 15.5 ppg., 4.3 rpg. and 4.8 apg. Like Chris Cole, Carter also played his freshman season at Hartford. Here's Theus on Carter: "I was looking for a multi-purpose guy and Paris fills that role very well for us. He has great size at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds and he is also a very good 3-pointer shooter."

Londale Theus -- small forward 6-5 190 sophomore walk-on. The second cousin of the former head coach, don't expect to see him on the court much but he is sterling in the classroom. We haven't been able to determine if he is related to the Londale Theus who played at Santa Clara in the late 1970s.

Wendell McKines -- power forward 6-4 220 freshman. He is a power player, with a power body but wing forward height. Being an amazingly quick jumper, he gets to the hoop before an opponent can react. His ball skills and shooting range need development but coaches love a guy like this because he wants it more than anyone else on the court and that can be contagious.

Taking what is known at this point, here's our best estimate at a starting lineup:

center - Hatila Passos
power forward - Herb Pope
small forward - Justin Hawkins
shooting guard - Fred Peete
point guard - Chris Cole

New Mexico State will battle Utah State for the top spot in the WAC. The load of talent Theus left behind is atypical for a new coach to inherit as Menzies doesn't immediately face any sort of a rebuilding job.

Psssst, here's our insider tip: it will be an Aggie March in 2008 for the WAC -- aren't we putting our necks on the line?