New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball
| New Mexico State Aggies | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| University | New Mexico State University | ||
| Conference | WAC | ||
| Location | Las Cruces, NM | ||
| Head coach | Marvin Menzies (8th year) | ||
| Arena |
Pan American Center (Capacity: 12,482) | ||
| Nickname | Aggies | ||
| Colors |
Crimson and White | ||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
| NCAA Tournament Final Four | |||
| 1970 | |||
| NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen | |||
| 1952, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1992* | |||
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |||
|
1952, 1959, 1960, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1990, 1991, 1992*, 1993*, 1994*, 1999, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 *vacated by NCAA[1] | |||
| Conference tournament champions | |||
|
Big West: 1992, 1994, 1999[2] WAC: 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 | |||
| Conference regular season champions | |||
|
Border: 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1952, 1959, 1960 Missouri Valley: 1977 Big West: 1990, 1993, 1994, 1997*, 1999[2] WAC: 2008, 2015 | |||
| Conference division season champions | |||
|
Big West East: 1997*, 1999[2] *all wins later vacated Sun Belt West: 2002[3] | |||
The New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team represents New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States. Founded in 1904, the Aggies currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference and last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2012. The Aggies hold the distinction of being one of 34 college basketball teams with multiple NBA retired jerseys from former players (Sam Lacey and John Williamson) and a team that reached the NCAA Final Four (in 1970). The team plays home games in the Pan American Center. The Aggies are currently coached by Marvin Menzies.
A Lou Henson-coached team gained national attention during the 1970 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament by advancing to the Final Four. And in 1992 a Neil McCarthy-coached team advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Aggie Basketball has seen 19 NCAA Tournament appearances, 5 NIT Tournament appearances, 15 regular season conference championships, and 6 conference tournament championships.
History
NMSU Basketball has seen much success throughout the years, reaching the NCAA Final Four in 1970, the Sweet Sixteen in 1992 among their 19 tournament appearances. Their two most successful coaches were Lou Henson and Neil McCarthy.
Jerry Hines era (1929–1940, '46)
Jerry Hines was one of the most exceptional Aggies. He was an outstanding two-sport athlete, the head basketball and head football coach, and the athletic director, each with success. During the later 1930s, the Aggie football team was 31–10–6 and the basketball team was 102–36 under Hines. The Aggie basketball team went to several postseason tournaments during this time, including the 1938 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, and the 1939 NIT tournament in New York City. The Hines era ended at the onset of World War II when he was called to duty in September 1940 as a member of a New Mexico National Guard unit assigned to the 45 Infantry Division. Hines did return for one more Aggie basketball season in 1946–47.[4]
Lou Henson era (1966–1975)
Lou Henson played for the Aggies in the 1950s, coached at Las Cruces High School, and came from Hardin-Simmons University to become the head coach. His tenure was the most successful in Aggie history. His 1970 team reached the NCAA Tournament Final Four, losing to a John Wooden-coached and eventual champion, UCLA.
Henson led the Aggies to the NCAA tournament in six of his nine years. He left in 1975 for a successful 21-year run at Illinois.
Neil McCarthy (1985–1997)
Neil McCarthy came to Las Cruces in 1985 following a successful 10-year run at Weber State. He had built Weber State into a regional power, and was equally successful at New Mexico State. For most of McCarthy's tenure, the Aggies were the second-best team in the Big West, behind UNLV. After the Rebels hit the skids in the early 1990s, McCarthy led the Aggies to four straight regular season and tournament titles, including the 1992 Sweet Sixteen run.
However, the 1992 Sweet Sixteen run, along with two other NCAA runs in the early 1990s, was scrubbed from the books in 1996 when the NCAA found several players from that team received help on correspondence courses from a coach. Without those courses, the players would not have been eligible.[5]
The McCarthy era came to a sudden and abrupt end just weeks before the 1997–98 season when new athletic director Jim Paul stripped him of coaching duties, citing the team's poor academic performance. Only nine of McCarthy's players had graduated in 12 years, including only one in the last four.[6] McCarthy was originally supposed to serve as an assistant athletic director for the balance of his contract, but instead sued NMSU for wrongful termination—a move that would come back to haunt the school later.[7]
Lou Henson's 2nd run (1997–2004)
Henson was lured from retirement to coach the team on an interim basis for the 1997-98 season after McCarthy's ouster. Henson wanted to donate his time, but state law forbade him from coaching the program for free. He ultimately settled for $1 per month. The following season Henson agreed to stay on as head coach on a permanent basis, leading the Aggies back to the NCAA Tournament in 1999.
In 2000, the Aggies were rocked again by a scandal from the McCarthy era. McCarthy had promised to hire a junior college coach as an assistant coach in return for bringing two of his top players to Las Cruces. That coach, in turn, helped the players with coursework and exams. The school placed the basketball program on two years' probation and withdrew from postseason consideration during the 2000–01 season. The NCAA imposed an additional four years' probation and forced the Aggies to vacate McCarthy's last season and the first season of Henson's second stint. The NCAA said that the penalties would have been even harsher if the school's former president, the former athletic director and McCarthy had still been at the school.[8]
Henson continued to coach the Aggies until being sidelined by Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma prior to the 2004–05 season. Due to Henson's illness the Aggies were led that year by assistant coach Tony Stubblefield, who guided the squad to a dismal 6-24 record, by far the school's worst season in twenty years. Henson officially announced his retirement from coaching in January 2005, and Stubblefield remained interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
The Louisville connection (2005–present)
On March 31, 2005, NMSU hired 13-year NBA veteran Reggie Theus, then an assistant at Louisville under Rick Pitino,[9] as head men's basketball coach. In his first season, Theus turned the Aggies from a 6-24 squad in 2004-05 to a 16-14 team in the 2005–06 season as the Aggies moved from the Sun Belt Conference to the Western Athletic Conference. In Theus's second year the Aggies finished the regular season at 22–8, won the WAC Tournament on their home floor, and earn an automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Following the tournament Theus left NMSU to take over the head coaching position of the NBA's Sacramento Kings. Marvin Menzies was named as the successor, and like Theus before him, came to NMSU after having been an assistant to Pitino, and had no previous Division I head coaching experience. In 2010 the Aggies again won the WAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament, falling 70-67 in the first round to eventual Final Four participant Michigan State. In 2012 the Aggies once again advanced to the NCAA Tournament by winning the WAC Tournament for the third time in six seasons.
Season results
| Season | Overall record* | Conference tournament | Postseason results | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border Conference | ||||
| 1932–33 | 7–11 (2–10) | -- | -- | Jerry Hines |
| 1933–34 | 10–9 (2–6) | -- | -- | Jerry Hines |
| 1934–35 | 12–6 (4–6) | -- | -- | Jerry Hines |
| 1935–36 | 10–9 (8–8) | -- | -- | Jerry Hines |
| 1936–37 | 22–5 (15–3, 1st) | -- | -- | Jerry Hines |
| 1937–38 | 22–3 (18–10, 1st) | -- | -- | Jerry Hines |
| 1938–39 | 20–4 (14–2, 1st) | -- | NIT Quarterfinals | Jerry Hines |
| 1939–40 | 16–7 (12–4) | -- | -- | Jerry Hines |
| 1940–41 | 14–12 (8–8) | -- | -- | Julius Johnston |
| 1941–42 | 8–18 (4–10) | -- | -- | Julius Johnston |
| 1944–45 | 9–5 (0–0) | -- | -- | Kermit Laabs |
| 1945–46 | 5–16 (1–9) | -- | -- | Kermit Laabs |
| 1946–47 | 8–17 (3–15) | -- | -- | Jerry Hines |
| 1947–48 | 12–11 (8–10) | -- | -- | John Gunn |
| 1948–49 | 9–15 (4–12) | -- | -- | John Gunn |
| 1949–50 | 17–13 (7–11) | -- | -- | George McCarty |
| 1950–51 | 19–14 (11–6) | -- | -- | George McCarty |
| 1951–52 | 22–11 (14–4) | -- | NCAA Sweet 16 | George McCarty |
| 1952–53 | 7–17 (5–9) | -- | -- | George McCarty |
| 1953–54 | 7–12 (3–9) | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| 1954–55 | 7–14 (1–11) | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| 1955–56 | 16–7 (7–5) | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| 1956–57 | 6–18 (3–7) | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| 1957–58 | 14–9 (8–3) | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| 1958–59 | 17–11 (7–3, T1) | -- | NCAA 1st round | Presley Askew |
| 1959–60 | 20–7 (9–2, 1st) | -- | NCAA 1st round | Presley Askew |
| 1960–61 | 19–5 (9–1, T1) | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| 1961–62 | 10–14 (3–5) | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| Independent | ||||
| 1962–63 | 4–17 | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| 1963–64 | 8–15 | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| 1964–65 | 8–18 | -- | -- | Presley Askew |
| 1965–66 | 4–22 | -- | -- | Jim McGregor |
| 1966–67 | 15–11 | -- | NCAA 1st round | Lou Henson |
| 1967–68 | 23–6 | -- | NCAA Sweet 16 | Lou Henson |
| 1968–69 | 24–5 | -- | NCAA Sweet 16 | Lou Henson |
| 1969–70 | 27–3 | -- | NCAA Final Four | Lou Henson |
| 1970–71 | 19–8 | -- | NCAA 1st round | Lou Henson |
| 1971–72 | 20–6 | -- | -- | Lou Henson |
| Missouri Valley Conference | ||||
| 1972–73 | 12–14 (6–8, T5) | -- | -- | Lou Henson |
| 1973–74 | 15–11 (7–6, T3) | -- | -- | Lou Henson |
| 1974–75 | 20–7 (11–3, 2nd) | -- | NCAA 1st round | Lou Henson |
| 1975–76 | 15–12 (4–8, T4) | -- | -- | Ken Hayes |
| 1976–77 | 17–10 (8–4, T1) | (0–1) Semifinals | -- | Ken Hayes |
| 1977–78 | 15–14 (9–7, 4th) | (2–1) Semifinals | -- | Ken Hayes |
| 1978–79 | 22–10 (11–5, 2nd) | (2–1) Finals | NCAA 1st round | Ken Hayes |
| 1979–80 | 17–10 (8–8, T5) | (0–1) First Round | -- | Weldon Drew |
| 1980–81 | 10–17 (7–9, T6) | (0–1) First Round | -- | Weldon Drew |
| 1981–82 | 17–10 (8–8, T5) | (1–1) Semifinals | -- | Weldon Drew |
| 1982–83 | 18–11 (11–7, T3) | (1–1) Semifinals | -- | Weldon Drew |
| Big West Conference | ||||
| 1983–84 | 13–15 (9–9, 5th) | (0–1) First Round | -- | Weldon Drew |
| 1984–85 | 7–20 (4–14, 9th) | -- | -- | Weldon Drew |
| 1985–86 | 18–12 (10–8, 3rd) | (1–2) Finals | -- | Neil McCarthy |
| 1986–87 | 15–15 (9–9, T4) | (0–1) First Round | -- | Neil McCarthy |
| 1987–88 | 16–16 (8–10, T6) | (0–1) Second Round | -- | Neil McCarthy |
| 1988–89 | 21–11 (12–6, 3rd) | (2–1) Finals | NIT 1st round | Neil McCarthy |
| 1989–90 | 26–5 (16–2, T1) | (1–1) Semifinals | NCAA 1st round | Neil McCarthy |
| 1990–91 | 23–6 (15–3, 2nd) | (0–1) First Round | NCAA 1st round | Neil McCarthy |
| 1991–92 | 25–8 (12–6, 3rd) | (3–0) Champion | NCAA Sweet 16 | Neil McCarthy |
| 1992–93 | 26–8 (15–3, 1st) | (2–1) Finals | NCAA 2nd round | Neil McCarthy |
| 1993–94 | 23–8 (12–6, 1st) | (3–0) Champion | NCAA 1st round | Neil McCarthy |
| 1994–95 | 25–10 (13–5, T2) | (1–1) Semifinals | NIT Quarterfinals | Neil McCarthy |
| 1995–96 | 11–15 (8–10, 3rd) | -- | -- | Neil McCarthy |
| 1996–97 | 19–9 (12–4, T1–East) | (1–1) Semifinals | -- | Neil McCarthy |
| 1997–98 | 18–12 (8–8, 5th–East) | -- | -- | Lou Henson |
| 1998–99 | 23–10 (12–4, T1–East) | (3–0) Champion | NCAA 1st round | Lou Henson |
| 1999–2000 | 22–10 (11–5, 2nd–East) | (2–1) Finals | NIT 1st round | Lou Henson |
| Sun Belt Conference | ||||
| 2000–01 | 14–14 (10–6, West) | -- | -- | Lou Henson |
| 2001–02 | 20–12 (11–4, West) | -- | -- | Lou Henson |
| 2002–03 | 20–9 (9–6, West) | -- | -- | Lou Henson |
| 2003–04 | 13–14 (6–9, West) | -- | -- | Lou Henson |
| 2004–05 | 6–14 (1–14, West) | -- | -- | Lou Henson |
| Western Athletic Conference | ||||
| 2005–06 | 16–14 (10–6, T4) | (1–1) Semifinals | -- | Reggie Theus |
| 2006–07 | 25–9 (11–5, 2nd) | (3–0) Champion | NCAA 1st round | Reggie Theus |
| 2007–08 | 21–14 (12–4, T1) | (2–1) Finals | -- | Marvin Menzies |
| 2008–09 | 17–15 (9–7, T3) | (1–1) Semifinals | -- | Marvin Menzies |
| 2009–10 | 22–12 (11–5, T2) | (3–0) Champion | NCAA 1st round | Marvin Menzies |
| 2010–11 | 16–17 (9–7, T3) | (1–1) Semi–Finals | -- | Marvin Menzies |
| 2011–12 | 26–9 (10–4, 2nd) | (3–0) Champion | NCAA 2nd round | Marvin Menzies |
| 2012–13 | 24–11 (14–4, 3rd) | (3–0) Champion | NCAA 2nd round | Marvin Menzies |
| 2013–14 | 26–10 (12–4, 2nd) | (3–0) Champion | NCAA 2nd round | Marvin Menzies |
* — Overall record includes tournament and postseason results; Regular–season conference record and place contained in parentheses.
NCAA Tournament results
The Aggies have appeared in 21 NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 10–23.[10]
| Year | Seed | Location | Region | Round | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Kansas City, MO | West | First | L 62–53 to St. Louis | |
| Consolation | L 61–44 to Texas Christian | ||||
| 1959 | Las Cruces, NM | West | First | L 62–61 to Idaho State | |
| 1960 | Eugene, OR | West | First | L 68–60 to Oregon | |
| 1967 | Ft. Collins, CO | Midwest | First | L 59–58 to Houston | |
| 1968 | Salt Lake City, UT | West | First | W 68–57 over Weber State | |
| Albuquerque, NM | Sweet Sixteen | L 58–49 to UCLA | |||
| Consolation | W 62–58 over New Mexico | ||||
| 1969 | Las Cruces, NM | West | First | W 74–62 over BYU | |
| Los Angeles, CA | Sweet Sixteen | L 53–38 to UCLA | |||
| Consolation | L 58–56 to Weber State | ||||
| 1970 | Fort Worth, TX | Midwest | First | W 101–77 over Rice | |
| Lawrence, KS | Sweet Sixteen | W 70–66 over Kansas State | |||
| Elite Eight | W 87–78 over Drake | ||||
| College Park, MD | Final Four | L 93–77 to UCLA | |||
| Consolation | W 79–73 over St. Bonaventure | ||||
| 1971 | Houston, TX | Midwest | First | L 71–69 to Houston | |
| 1975 | Charlotte, NC | East | First | L 93–69 to North Carolina | |
| 1979 | 10th | Lawrence, KS | Midwest | First | L 81–78OT to Weber State |
| 1990 | 6th | Long Beach, CA | West | First | L 111–92 to Loyola Marymount |
| 1991 | 6th | Salt Lake City, UT | West | First | L 64–56 to Creighton |
| 1992 | 12th | Tempe, AZ | West | First | W 81–73 over DePaul |
| Second | W 81–73 over Louisiana–Lafayette | ||||
| Albuquerque, NM | Sweet Sixteen | L 85–78 to UCLA | |||
| 1993 | 7th | Syracuse, NY | East | First | W 93–79 over Nebraska |
| Second | L 92–55 to Cincinnati | ||||
| 1994 | 11th | Oklahoma City, OK | Midwest | First | L 65–55 to Oklahoma State |
| 1999 | 14th | New Orleans, LA | Midwest | First | L 82–60 to Kentucky |
| 2007 | 13th | Spokane, WA | East | First | L 79–67 to Texas |
| 2010 | 12th | Spokane, WA | Midwest | First | L 70–67 to Michigan State |
| 2012 | 13th | Portland, OR | South | Second | L 79–66 to Indiana |
| 2013 | 13th | San Jose, CA | Midwest | Second | L 64–44 to Saint Louis |
| 2014 | 13th | Spokane, WA | West | Second | L 73–69OT to San Diego State |
Notable players and coaches
Ring of Honor
New Mexico State's men's basketball Ring of Honor stands as a tribute to individual players and coaches that are distinguished as Aggie legends. A player's number is retired upon reaching this milestone. A banner designating this honor is hung from the rafters in the Pan American Center.[10]
Lou Henson – began his coaching career with the Aggies in 1966, eventually coaching the Aggies to 289 victories over 17 years. Henson finished with 779 victories including his wins at Illinois. Henson coached the Aggies to the Final Four and two Sweet Sixteens among the 10 NCAA tournament appearances. His career Aggie record is 289–152, which is the winningest in Aggie history.
Sam Lacey (#44) – played for the Aggies from 1968 to 1970, including a trip to the Final Four. Lacey is 10th in Aggie all-time scoring and holds most rebounding records. He was a 1st Team All-American in 1970 and played in the NBA for 13 seasons, well enough to get his #44 jersey retired by the Sacramento Kings.
Billy Joe Price (#31) – played during the 1958–59 to 1959–60 seasons, including two trips to the NCAA Tournament. Price is 19th on the all-time scoring list and among the career leaders in rebounding.
Jimmy Collins (#22) – played for the Aggies from 1968 to 1970 and helped them to the Final Four in 1970. Collins holds the Aggie season scoring record and rank 3rd all-time in career scoring. Collins played in the NBA for several seasons.
John Williamson (#24) – is the most prolific scorer in Aggie history, averaging over 27 points per game during the 1972 and 1973 seasons. Williamson played for the New Jersey Nets and won two championships. His #23 jersey is retired by the New Jersey Nets.
Jerry Hines – was the Aggie basketball coach, as well as football coach, during the 1930s. The Aggies advanced to the NIT Tournament in 1938. His career record is 157–108, which is third winningest in Aggie history.
Aggies in the National Basketball Association
- Bill Allen
- Jim Bostic
- Randy Brown
- Jimmy Collins
- Steve Colter
- Charlie Criss
- Mike Dabich
- Reggie Jordan
- Sam Lacey
- Bob Priddy
- John Williamson
- Sim Bhullar
1000 Point Club
The 1000 Point Club consists of Aggies who have eclipsed 1000 points scored in their career. This is a notable accomplishment in college basketball. There are 31 Aggies that have reached this mark.[10]
| Rank | Player | Season | Games | Points | Avg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Channing | 1998–2002 | 124 | 1,862 | 15.0 |
| 2 | Albert "Slab" Jones | 1977–80 | 114 | 1,758 | 15.4 |
| 3 | Jimmy Collins | 1968–70 | 89 | 1,734 | 19.5 |
| 4 | George Knighton | 1960–62 | 75 | 1,660 | 22.1 |
| 5 | James Moore | 2000–03 | 110 | 1,651 | 15.0 |
| 6 | Jonathan Gibson | 2007–10 | 131 | 1,541 | 11.8 |
| 7 | Richard Robinson | 1974–77 | 100 | 1,540 | 15.4 |
| 8 | Wendell McKines | 2008–12 | 126 | 1,521 | 12.1 |
| 9 | Jahmar Young | 2008–10 | 87 | 1,479 | 17.0 |
| 10 | Sam Lacey | 1968–70 | 89 | 1,448 | 16.3 |
| 11 | Ernest Patterson | 1980–83 | 110 | 1,419 | 12.9 |
| 12 | Daniel Mullings | 2011-14 | 111 | 1,405 | 12.7 |
| 13 | Steve Colter | 1981–84 | 107 | 1,333 | 12.5 |
| 14 | Charles Gosa | 1995–99 | 117 | 1,233 | 10.5 |
| 15 | Johnny Roberson | 1986–89 | 121 | 1,223 | 10.1 |
| 16 | Hernst Laroche | 2009-12 | 135 | 1,209 | 9.0 |
| 17 | Keith Hill | 1987–90 | 115 | 1,201 | 10.4 |
| 18 | John Williamson | 1972–73 | 43 | 1,168 | 27.2 |
| 19 | Billy Joe Price | 1959–61 | 77 | 1,159 | 15.1 |
| 20 | Greg Webb | 1977–80 | 113 | 1,127 | 10.0 |
| 21 | Justin Hawkins | 2007–08 | 67 | 1,126 | 16.8 |
| 22 | Hamidu Rahman | 2009-12 | 124 | 1,081 | 8.7 |
| 23 | Kenny Travis | 1986–87 | 60 | 1,070 | 17.8 |
| 24 | Gilbert Wilburn | 1985–86 | 51 | 1,068 | 20.9 |
| 25 | Troy Gillenwater | 2008–11 | 70 | 1,065 | 15.2 |
| 26 | Brandon Mason | 1999–2003 | 115 | 1,051 | 9.1 |
| 27 | Jeff Smith | 1969–71 | 87 | 1,045 | 12.0 |
| 28 | Truman Ward | 1971–73 | 76 | 1,037 | 13.6 |
| 29 | Dexter Hawkins | 1974–77 | 101 | 1,022 | 10.1 |
| 30 | Bill Allen | 1973–76 | 92 | 1,018 | 11.1 |
| 31 | Billy Keys | 1999–2000 | 65 | 1,004 | 15.4 |
References
- ↑ Johnson, Gary; Straziscar, Sean; Senappe, Bonnie; Williams, Jeff; Buerge, Kevin (October 2007). "Official 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 51. ISSN 1089-5280.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://www.bigwest.org/sports/mbball/1112record.pdf
- ↑ "Sun Belt All-Time Standings" (PDF). 2011-12 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide. Sun Belt Conference. pp. 93–95. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- ↑ Hines, Walter (26 Jan 2009). "Aggie History With Walter Hines: Jerry Hines, 2009 Men's Basketball Ring of Honor Inductee". www.bleedcrimson.net. www.bleedcrimson.net.
- ↑ 1996 NCAA infraction report
- ↑ McCarthy out as coach; NMSU turns to Henson. Associated Press, 1997-10-17.
- ↑ Herrerra, Pete. NCAA places New Mexico St. on four years' probation. Associated Press via San Diego Union-Tribune, 2001-06-20.
- ↑ 2001 NCAA infraction report
- ↑ ESPN.com - Dick Vitale - Theus ready for first head-coaching gig
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "2009-10 New Mexico State Men's Basketball Media Guide" (Press release). New Mexico State University. 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
External links
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