By Isaac Jaimes
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The New Mexico State Aggies men’s basketball secured a dramatic 77–75 overtime victory over the Jacksonville State Gamecocks Thursday, March 5, at the Pan American Center.
After trailing for much of the game and entering halftime down nine points, the Aggies rallied in the second half and relied on clutch plays in overtime to complete the comeback victory.
Jacksonville State started the game with strong momentum, jumping out to an early lead and controlling much of the first half. The Gamecocks built their advantage through rebounding and inside scoring, eventually heading into halftime with a 33–24 lead. Jacksonville State forward Jacoby Hill led the way with a dominant performance, finishing the night with 24 points and 15 rebounds for a double-double. Teammate Mostapha El Moutaouakkil also contributed heavily with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Emondrek Erkins-Ford added 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks.
After the game head coach Jason Hooten spoke about the win.
“[Winning a close game] that’s what makes me feel good as a coach,” Hooten said. “…because those are things we’ve been trying to teach all year long.”
Despite the slow start, New Mexico State gradually shifted the momentum in the second half. The Aggies increased their defensive pressure and began finding rhythm offensively. After Jacksonville State pushed its lead to as many as 14 points during the second half, the Aggies responded with a strong run that cut the deficit and kept the game within reach. A late push allowed New Mexico State to tie the game at 68–68 when Jayland Randall calmly knocked down three free throws with just seconds remaining in regulation, forcing overtime.
In overtime, both teams exchanged leads in a tightly contested extra period. The defining moment came when guard Jemel Jones knocked down a clutch three-pointer with 26 seconds remaining to give the Aggies the lead. Jones later added free throws in the closing seconds to help secure the victory. Jones finished with a game-high 29 points while also contributing six rebounds and five assists. Julius Mims added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Randall finished with 12 points for New Mexico State.
The win improved New Mexico State to 14–15 overall and 7–12 in Conference USA play. The Aggies overcame a difficult start and showed resilience by rallying from a double-digit second-half deficit to secure the overtime victory. Their defensive adjustments and late-game execution ultimately made the difference in a game that featured multiple momentum swings.
As coach Hooten quoted what he looks during Saturdays game vs Kennesaw St.
“it’s not gonna change my perspective it’s not gonna change my preparation we are going to come here tomorrow do what we always do,” Hooten said. “We are going to get ready to try to go out on Saturday and beat a team that beat us probably three of our worst defeats this year. One of them was them at their place we got to come back and we got to play better if we’re going to have a chance to beat them.”
New Mexico State will look to carry that momentum into its next matchup when the Aggies host the Kennesaw State Owls men’s basketball in the final game of the season.
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