LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The New Mexico State University men’s basketball team opens its 2025-26 season against Division II opponent Adams State University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, at the Pan American Center.
This is the second consecutive year NMSU will start the season at home. They defeated New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) 93-57 Nov. 4, 2024.
The Aggies finished with a 17-15 win-loss record last year (10-8 in Conference USA). According to the league’s preseason poll, they are projected to finish third in conference this season.
On top of this, California State University-Bakersfield transfer Jemel Jones earned a spot on the Preseason All-CUSA Team.
Jones averaged 18.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and just under a steal per game last year at Bakersfield. He also shot 47.8% from the field, 35.2% from three-point range and 85.7% from the free-throw line.
Head coach Jason Hooten said Jones, a 6-4 guard, will play a major role for the team.
“He’s got a real good feel for offense and knack of scoring,” Hooten said. “The offensive part, there is no question and no doubt that he will help our basketball team in that area.”
Sophomores Gabe Pickens and Jae’Coby Osborne are the only two returners from last year’s squad. This forced Hooten to recruit heavy and he did just that, bringing in 11 transfers as well as two freshman to make up the 15-man roster.
The Aggies struggled offensively last season, as they shot just 41.5% from the field and 32.1% from behind the arc. The defense is what got it done, as they forced opponents to shoot 39.6% from the field and 29.1% from three.
Hooten made it a point of emphasis to pick up scorers and it shows. Seven players have averaged double-figures at some point in their collegiate career, including Jones, Julius Mims, Kyrese Mullen, Chris Terrell, Jayland Randall, Amarco Doyle and Elijah Elliott.
Even though bringing in talent like this was its own challenge, putting together a schedule was something uniquely difficult for Hooten.
“I’ve been doing the schedule for 33 years now and this was the most difficult season of all,” Hooten said. “I have a feeling that maybe we’ve seen the last of being able to play power five schools.”
NMSU hosts the first four games of the year. This includes a matchup with NMHU at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11; I-25 rival University of New Mexico at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15; and Samford University at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, to open the Cancun Challenge. The Aggies also took part in the Cancun Challenge in 2023.
NMSU will face the University of California Irvine at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25 and Georgia State University at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26 in the Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Cancún, México.
Something unusual with the Aggies schedule is taking on two opponents at neutral sites. They play the University of South Alabama in Katy, Texas, at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, and the University of Tulsa in Frisco, Texas, at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13.
The Aggies also travel to play former Western Athletic Conference opponent Abilene Christian University at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at Moody Coliseum in Abilene, Texas, to complete a home-and-home matchup. Last year, ACU defeated NMSU 78-70 at the Pan American Center Dec. 4, 2024, in the first game of the two. This is the only time Hooten has been ejected from a game in his coaching career.
The Aggies begin CUSA action against Sam Houston State University at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at home. This is the second consecutive season these teams open conference play against each other. This game also means a lot since it is where Hooten spent 13 seasons as a head coach and six as an assistant. This is their lone matchup this season. The only other conference team NMSU faces once is Louisiana Tech University at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Ruston, La. The Aggies take on every other conference opponent twice.
Following the game with Sam Houston, NMSU hosts NAIA opponent University of the Southwest (from Hobbs, N.M.) at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28, at the Pan American Center. This is the Aggies’ final non-D1 opponent and non-conference game.
NMSU has already competed in preseason action. They played an exhibition game against Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua in Chihuahua, México for the first time ever Oct. 18. The Aggies secured a dominant 97-62 victory after a strong second-half surge.
NMSU is also holding a preseason intra-squad scrimmage at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, at the Pan American Center. The event is being called “Dia de los Dunks.” Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and is free admission. This will be the fans first chance to watch the team play in person and they can receive autographs following the matchup. There will also be team introductions and fans can come in their Halloween costume.
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