2023–24 New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team
American college basketball season
The 2023–24 New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team represents New Mexico State University in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season . The Aggies are led by first-year head coach Jason Hooten and plays their home games at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico as first year members of the Conference USA .
Previous season
The 2022-2023 New Mexico Aggies men's basketball team finished 9-15 (2-16) in Western Athletic Conference play to finish in last place. This season marked their last in the Western Athletic Conference . Due to the suspension of the basketball program, the Aggies did not take part in the 2023 WAC tournament. On November 19, 2022, reports came in that a shooting between a student attending the University of New Mexico and a New Mexico State basketball player, leaving the student dead. The basketball player was later identified as Mike Peake, wounded on the UNM main campus in Albuquerque.[1] A day later, on November 20, 2022, the New Mexico State Police released details of the shooting, including the arrest of 17-year old Mya Hill. The next day, the New Mexico State Police confirmed a second arrest relating to the shooting, arresting 19-year old Jonathan Smith.[2] On February 10, 2023, New Mexico State University announced the men's basketball program's season would be cancelled based on new reports of violations of university policies.
The Aggies and Lobos were slated to renew the Rio Grande Rivalry on the night of the shooting, but the game was postponed. Three days later, both schools decided to cancel the Rio Grande Rivalry for the season due to safety concerns.[3] On December 5, NM State Athletic Director Mario Moccia announced the indefinite suspension of the 21-year old Mike Peake.[4] No charges have been filed against Peake in what was called a "self-defense situation",[5] but there are two investigations surrounding the shooting.[6] [7]
On February 10, 2023, New Mexico State University Announced the men's basketball program's season would be cancelled based on new reports of violations of university policies.[8] Its entire coaching staff was placed on administrative leave as a result.[9] KTSM reported that the season was suspended because of allegations of hazing by at least three different players multiple times.[10]
The rest of the team's games were canceled and later deemed forfeits by the WAC on February 13. They did not take part in the WAC Tournament .[11]
The NCAA does not recognize the forfeited games as part of the team's overall record.
On February 14, head coach Greg Heiar was officially fired by NMSU.[12] On March 24, the school named Sam Houston head coach Jason Hooten the team's new head coach.[13]
Offseason
Departures
Name
Number
Pos.
Height
Weight
Year
Hometown
Reason for departure
Anthony Roy
0
G
6'5"
200
Sophomore
Oakland, CA
Transferred
Marchelus Avery
1
F
6'8"
215
Sophomore
Richmond, VA
Transferred to UCF
Issa Muhammad
2
F
6'9"
240
RS Junior
Atlanta, GA
Transferred to UT Martin
Xavier Pinson
3
G
6'2"
175
Senior
Chicago, IL
Graduated/signed with Montreal Alliance in the CEBL
James Beck
4
F
6'8"
215
RS Senior
Grand Rapids, MI
Graduated
Kyle Feit
5
G
6'4"
190
Junior
Boca Raton, FL
Transferred
DaJuan Quaye Gordon
11
G
6'5"
195
Junior
Chicago, IL
Transferred to UT Arlington
Doctor Bradley
13
F
6'8"
205
Sophomore
Los Angeles, CA
Transferred to Northern Illinois
Shahar Lazar
14
G
6'3"
200
Freshman
Emunim, Israel
Transferred to Gardner–Webb
Mike Peake
15
F
6'7"
218
Junior
Chicago, IL
Transferred
Ziri Blackwood
21
G
6'3'
170
Sophomore
Killeen, TX
Walk-on; transferred
Deuce Benjamin
22
G
6'1"
175
Freshman
Las Cruces, NM
Walk-on; transferred
Ethan Anderson
23
F
6'9"
220
Freshman
Kaysville, UT
Walk-on; transferred
Kim Aiken Jr.
24
F
6'7"
215
RS Senior
Redlands, CA
Graduated
Jaden Alexander
25
G
6'4"
200
Freshman
Vallejo, CA
Transferred to Cal State Bakersfield
Isaac Shingange
31
F
6'5"
180
Freshman
New York, NY
Walk-on; transferred
Shakiru Odunewu
34
F
6'10"
245
RS Sophomore
Providence, RI
Transferred
Vuk Vucevic
35
F
6'6"
190
Freshman
Paris, France
Walk-on; transferred
Deshawndre Washington
42
G
6'7"
205
Junior
Chicago, IL
Transferred
Incoming transfers
Name
Number
Pos.
Height
Weight
Year
Hometown
Previous college
Jaylin Jackson-Posey
0
G
6'2"
196
Junior
Midland, TX
Stephen F. Austin
Kaosi Ezeagu
1
F
6'10"
255
Senior
Brampton, ON
Sam Houston
Jordan Rawls
2
G
6'1"
185
GS Senior
Chattanooga, TN
Western Kentucky
Christian Cook
3
G
6'2"
175
Junior
Oklahoma City, OK
Northeastern State
Brandon Suggs
4
G/F
6'6"
185
GS Senior
Powder Springs, GA
UCF
Rakeim Gary
9
G
5'10"
165
Senior
Dallas, TX
South Carolina State
Femi Odukale
11
G
6'6"
205
Senior
Brooklyn, NY
Seton Hall
Jaden Harris
13
G
6'4"
190
Junior
Atlanta, GA
South Plains College
Robert Carpenter
21
F
6'7"
210
Senior
Detroit, MI
Mississippi Valley State
Jonathan Kanyanga
24
C
6'9"
225
GS Senior
Kinshasa, Congo
Edward Waters
Clarence Jackson
25
F
6'7"
225
Senior
Dublin, GA
Jacksonville State
Davion Bradford
26
F
7'0"
270
Senior
St. Louis, MO
Wake Forest
2023 recruiting class
Roster
2023–24 New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Weight
Year
Previous school
Hometown
G
0
Jaylin Jackson-Posey
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
196 lb (89 kg)
Jr
Stephen F. Austin
Midland, TX
F
1
Kaosi Ezeagu
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
255 lb (116 kg)
Sr
Sam Houston State
Brampton, ON
G
2
Jordan Rawls
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
GS
Western Kentucky
Chattanooga, TN
G
3
Christian Cook
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Jr
Northeastern State
Oklahoma City, OK
G
4
Brandon Suggs (EEP)
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
GS
UCF
Powder Springs, GA
G
5
Keylon Dorsey
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Fr
Eisenhower
Houston, TX
F
6
Christopher Biekeu
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
Sr
Towson
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
G
9
Tanahj Pettway
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Sr
Stony Brook
Worcester, MA
G
11
Femi Odukale
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Sr
Seton Hall
Brooklyn, NY
G
12
Lewis Duarte (N)
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Fr
Victory Christian Center School
Santo Domingo, DR
G
13
Jaden Harris
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Jr
South Plains College
Atlanta, GA
F
14
Yaak Yaak
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
—
Fr
NBA Academy
Adelaide, Australia
F
21
Robert Carpenter
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Jr
Mississippi Valley State
Detroit, MI
F
24
Jonathan Kanyanga
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
GS
Edwards Waters
Kinshasa, Congo
F
25
Clarence Jackson (EEP)
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Sr
Jacksonville State
Dublin, GA
F
26
Davion Bradford (T)
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
270 lb (122 kg)
Sr
Wake Forest
St. Louis, MO
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
(EEP) Early exit pro
(T) In-season transfer out
(N) Did not play during season and removed from roster
Injured
Current redshirt
Roster Last update: March 15, 2024
Schedule and results
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Site (attendance) city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 6, 2023 *6:00 p.m., SECN
at No. 16 Kentucky
L 46–86
0–1
10 –
8 – Jackson-Posey
6 – Jackson-Posey
Rupp Arena (18,438)Lexington, KY
November 8, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Sul Ross State
W 84–49
1–1
15 – Rawls
9 – Ezeagu
4 – Rawls
Pan American Center (4,507)Las Cruces, NM
November 11, 2023 *8:00 p.m., ESPN+
at UC Irvine
L 74–91
1–2
18 – Carpenter
8 – Ezeagu
3 – Tied
Bren Events Center (2,731)Irvine, CA
November 14, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Western New Mexico
W 78–43
2–2
24 – Harris
7 – Tied
7 – Rawls
Pan American Center (5,908)Las Cruces, NM
November 18, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Northern Colorado Cancún Challenge campus site game
W 76–71
3–2
26 – Cook
8 – Odukale
3 – Tied
Pan American Center (5,656)Las Cruces, NM
November 21, 2023 *6:30 p.m., CBSSN
vs. Fresno State Cancún Challenge Riviera Division semifinals
L 76–81 OT
3–3
20 – Carpenter
7 – Odukale
10 – Rawls
Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya (516)Cancún, Mexico
November 22, 2023 *4:00 p.m., CBSSN
vs. Southern Illinois Cancún Challenge Riviera Division consolation
L 54–81
3–4
18 – Odukale
8 – Odukale
5 – Rawls
Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya (317)Cancún, Mexico
November 26, 2023 *11:00 a.m., ACCNX /ESPN+
at Louisville
L 84–90
3–5
20 – Rawls
8 – Ezeagu
6 – Jackson-Posey
KFC Yum! Center (10,527)Louisville, KY
November 28, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Southwest
W 84–49
4–5
13 – Jackson
11 – Ezeagu
8 – Jackson-Posey
Pan American Center (4,135)Las Cruces, NM
December 2, 2023 *7:00 p.m., MW Network
at New Mexico Rio Grande Rivalry
L 62–106
4–6
18 – Odukale
7 – Tied
3 – Tied
The Pit (15,435)Albuquerque, NM
December 12, 2023 *7:30 p.m., ESPN+
Northern New Mexico
W 76–71
5–6
14 – Ezeagu
5 – Tied
6 – Rawls
Pan American Center (3,961)Las Cruces, NM
December 16, 2023 *7:00 p.m., CBSSN
New Mexico Rio Grande Rivalry
L 72–73
5–7
22 – Jackson-Posey
8 – Ezeagu
4 – Rawls
Pan American Center (5,182)Las Cruces, NM
December 20, 2023 *5:30 p.m., ESPN+
at Stephen F. Austin C–USA/WAC Alliance
L 72–75
5–8
14 – Cook
5 – Tied
6 – Jackson-Posey
William R. Johnson Coliseum (1,710)Nacogdoches, TX
December 22, 2023 *6:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Tulsa
L 59–65
5–9
12 – Odukale
7 – Tied
4 – Rawls
Reynolds Center (2,871)Tulsa, OK
December 30, 2023 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
California Baptist C–USA/WAC Alliance
W 66–61
6–9
20 – Carpenter
7 – Carpenter
6 – Rawls
Pan American Center (4,226)Las Cruces, NM
Conference USA regular season
January 4, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN
UTEP Battle of I-10
W 63–53
7–9 (1–0)
15 – Cook
7 – Ezeagu
4 – Rawls
Pan American Center (5,216)Las Cruces, NM
January 11, 2024 5:00 p.m., ESPN+
at FIU
L 67–77
7–10 (1–1)
16 – Odukale
6 – Odukale
4 – Rawls
Ocean Bank Convocation Center (1,294)Miami, FL
January 18, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Western Kentucky
W 72–70
8–10 (2–1)
19 – Pettway
7 – Ezeagu
6 – Odukale
Pan American Center (5,243)Las Cruces, NM
January 20, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Middle Tennessee
W 73–62
9–10 (3–1)
17 – Carpenter
8 – Odukale
7 – Rawls
Pan American Center (4,634)Las Cruces, NM
January 25, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN
at Sam Houston
L 67–79
9–11 (3–2)
18 – Rawls
7 – Odukale
2 – Rawls
Bernard Johnson Coliseum (2,546)Huntsville, TX
January 27, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Louisiana Tech
L 53–73
9–12 (3–3)
10 – Rawls
9 – Ezeagu
2 – Rawls
Thomas Assembly Center (2,464)Ruston, LA
February 1, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Liberty
W 79–73 OT
10–12 (4–3)
27 – Cook
10 – Odukale
4 – Odukale
Pan American Center Las Cruces, NM
February 3, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Jacksonville State
W 67–65
11–12 (5–3)
17 – Cook
8 – Ezeagu
7 – Odukale
Pan American Center (11,278)Las Cruces, NM
February 10, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
at UTEP Battle of I-10
L 49–74
11–13 (5–4)
20 – Harris
7 – Ezeagu
3 – Odukale
Don Haskins Center (10,511)El Paso, TX
February 15, 2024 5:30 p.m., ESPN+
at Middle Tennessee
L 69–76
11–14 (5–5)
22 – Harris
11 – Odukale
3 – Tied
Murphy Center (2,890)Murfreesboro, TN
February 17, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Western Kentucky
L 58–72
11–15 (5–6)
13 – Tied
8 – Odukale
3 – Tied
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,102)Bowling Green, KY
February 22, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN
Sam Houston
L 58–79
11–16 (5–7)
15 – Ezeagu
7 – Ezeagu
4 – Odukale
Pan American Center (10,392)Las Cruces, NM
February 24, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Louisiana Tech
L 58–67
11–17 (5–8)
16 – Tied
6 – Odukale
3 – Tied
Pan American Center (4,724)Las Cruces, NM
February 29, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN
at Liberty
L 58–83
11–18 (5–9)
15 – Cook
7 – Tied
3 – Rawls
Liberty Arena (3,262)Lynchburg, VA
March 2, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Jacksonville State
W 66–64
12–18 (6–9)
15 – Tied
12 – Ezeagu
4 – Rawls
Pete Mathews Coliseum (1,822)Jacksonville, AL
March 9, 2024 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
FIU
W 77–70
13–18 (7–9)
26 – Cook
12 – Odukale
8 – Odukale
Pan American Center (4,864)Las Cruces, NM
Conference USA Tournament
March 14, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
(6)
vs. (3) Western Kentucky Quarterfinals
L 69–89
13–19
20 – Cook
9 – Ezeagu
3 – Odukale
Von Braun Center (2,333)Huntsville, AL
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP Poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in
Mountain .
Sources[14]
References
^ Grammer, Geoff; Reisen, Matthew (November 19, 2022). "UNM Student Killed, NMSU Basketball Player Injured in Shootout on UNM Campus" . Albuquerque Journal .
^ Peerman, Lucas; Groves, Jason (November 21, 2022). "Details Emerge: Police Identify UNM Student Killed in Shootout with NMSU Basketball Player" . Las Cruces Sun-News . Las Cruces, New Mexico.
^ Schacht, Spencer (November 22, 2022). "UNM-NMSU Men's Basketball Games Canceled Following Shooting" . KOB . Albuquerque, New Mexico.
^ Groves, Jason (December 5, 2022). "New Mexico State Basketball Player Mike Peake Suspended Indefinitely" . Las Cruces Sun-News . Las Cruces, New Mexico.
^ Medcalg, Myron (November 19, 2022). "New Mexico State-New Mexico Basketball Game Postponed after Shooting" . ESPN .
^ Boetel, Ryan (December 6, 2022). "DA's Office Investigating NMSU Staff and Players" . Albuquerque Journal .
^ "NMSU Hiring 3rd Party to Investigate Events Surrounding Deadly UNM Shooting" . KFOX-TV . El Paso, Texas. Associated Press.
^ Hill, Glynn A. (February 11, 2023). "New Mexico State Men's Basketball Season Suspended, Staff Put on Leave" . The Washington Post .
^ "NMSU men's hoops halted amid 'new allegations' " . ESPN . February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023 .
^ Deaver, Colin (February 10, 2023). "New Mexico State Men's Basketball Shuts Down Program Indefinitely; Sources Cite Hazing Incidents" . KTSM . El Paso, Texas.
^ "Remaining New Mexico State 2022-23 WAC Men's Basketball Games Deemed Conference Forfeits" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023 .
^ Groves, Jason (February 14, 2023). "Greg Heiar fired as NMSU Aggies basketball coach amid athlete hazing investigation" . Las Cruces Sun-News . Retrieved February 14, 2023 .
^ "Sam Houston's Hooten to coach New Mexico St" . ESPN.com . March 25, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023 .
^ "2023–24 Men's Basketball Schedule" . New Mexico State University Athletics . Retrieved July 20, 2023 .
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons NCAA Final Four appearance in italics