New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball

New Mexico State Aggies
2016–17 New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team
University New Mexico State University
Conference WAC
Location Las Cruces, NM
Head coach Paul Weir (1st year)
Arena Pan American Center
(Capacity: 12,482)
Nickname Aggies
Colors Crimson and White[1]
         
Uniforms
Home
Away
NCAA Tournament Final Four
1970
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight
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[2]
Conference tournament champions
Big West: 1992, 1994, 1999[3]
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[3]
WAC: 2008, 2015, 2016
Conference division season champions
Big West East: 1997*, 1999[3]
*all wins later vacated
Sun Belt West: 2002[4]

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 2015. 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 Paul Weir.

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 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, 5 NIT Tournament appearances, 15 regular season conference championships, and 9 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.[5]

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.[6]

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.[7] 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.[8]

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.[9]

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.

Reggie Theus (2005–2007)

On March 31, 2005, NMSU hired 13-year NBA veteran Reggie Theus, then an assistant at Louisville under Rick Pitino,[10] 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 (2007-2016)

Marvin Menzies was named as Theus' 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. They continued to appear in the NCAA tournament through 2015. After their 2016 NIT tournament appearance, Marvin Menzies was hired to take over the Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) basketball program.[11]

Paul Weir (2016-Present)

Paul Weir enters his 10th season with the New Mexico State basketball program in 2016-17 and served in the role of associate head coach from July 2011 until he was promoted to head coach on April 26, 2016. He has helped the Aggies to five WAC Tournament Championships (2010, 2012-2015) and five subsequent NCAA Tournament appearances. The Aggies have collected three WAC Championships during Weir’s tenure. The Aggies have won back-to-back WAC regular season titles in 2015 and 2016 after collecting their first WAC regular season title in 2008. Overall, NM State has collected seven WAC titles during his nine years with the program.[12]

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 (18–0, 1st) -- NAIA Quarterfinals 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) -- NAIA First Round George McCarty
1950–51 19–14 (11–6) -- NAIA Quarterfinals George McCarty
1951–52 22–11 (14–4) -- NCAA Second Round, 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
2014–15 24–11 (13–1, 1st) (2–0) Champion NCAA 2nd round Marvin Menzies
2015–16 23–11 (13–1, 1st) (1-1) Finals NIT 1st 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 22 NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 10–24.[13]

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 81–78 OT 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 73–69 OT to San Diego State
2015 15th Omaha, NE Midwest Second L 56–75 to Kansas

NAIA Tournament results

The Aggies have appeared in four NAIA Tournaments. Their combined record is 5–4.

Year Location Round Result
1938 Kansas City, MO First W 53–37 over McPherson
Second W 56–40 over Idaho-Southern
Quarterfinals L 29–30 to Murray State University
1950 Kansas City, MO First L 85–75 to Tampa
1951 Kansas City, MO First W 68–54 over Glenville State
Second W 73–69 over Central (MO)
Quarterfinals L 80–56 to Hamline
1952 Kansas City, MO First W 86–70 over Mississippi Southern
Second L 52–69 to Southwest Texas State

NIT results

The Aggies have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) five times. Their combined record is 2–5.

Year Round Result
1939 Quarterfinals L 52–45 to Long Island
1989 First L 91–76 to Pepperdine
1995 First W 97–83 over Colorado
Second W 92–89 over UTEP
Quarterfinals L 64–61 to Virginia Tech
2000 First L 83–77 to Arizona State
2016 First L 58–56 to Saint Mary's

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.[13]

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

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 34 Aggies that have reached this mark.[13]

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 Daniel Mullings 2011-15 133 1,677 12.6
5 George Knighton 1960–62 75 1,660 22.1
6 James Moore 2000–03 110 1,651 15.0
7 Jonathan Gibson 2007–10 131 1,541 11.8
8 Richard Robinson 1974–77 100 1,540 15.4
9 Wendell McKines 2008–12 126 1,521 12.1
10 Jahmar Young 2008–10 87 1,479 17.0
11 Sam Lacey 1968–70 89 1,448 16.3
12 Ernest Patterson 1980–83 110 1,419 12.9
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
t21 Justin Hawkins 2007–09 67 1,126 16.8
t21 Pascal Siakam 2014–16 68 1,126 16.6
23 Tshilidzi Nephawe 2010–15 136 1,087 8.0
24 Hamidu Rahman 2009-12 124 1,081 8.7
25 Kenny Travis 1985–87 60 1,070 17.8
26 Gilbert Wilburn 1984–86 51 1,068 20.9
27 Troy Gillenwater 2008–11 70 1,065 15.2
28 Brandon Mason 1999–2003 115 1,051 9.1
29 Jeff Smith 1969–71 87 1,045 12.0
30 Truman Ward 1971–73 76 1,037 13.6
31 Louis Richardson 1996-98 57 1,025 18.0
32 Dexter Hawkins 1974–77 101 1,022 10.1
33 Bill Allen 1973–76 92 1,018 11.1
34 Billy Keys 1999–2000 65 1,004 15.4

References

  1. "Color Palette | Discover the NMSU Brand | New Mexico State University". Retrieved 2016-07-04.
  2. 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: 51. ISSN 1089-5280.
  3. 1 2 3 http://www.bigwest.org/sports/mbball/1112record.pdf
  4. "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.
  5. 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.
  6. 1996 NCAA infraction report
  7. McCarthy out as coach; NMSU turns to Henson. Associated Press, 1997-10-17.
  8. Herrerra, Pete. NCAA places New Mexico St. on four years' probation. Associated Press via San Diego Union-Tribune, 2001-06-20.
  9. 2001 NCAA infraction report
  10. ESPN.com - Dick Vitale - Theus ready for first head-coaching gig
  11. "UNLV agrees to hire Marvin Menzies as new head coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  12. "Paul Weir named 25th NM State Basketball Coach". nmstatesports.com. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
  13. 1 2 3 "2009-10 New Mexico State Men's Basketball Media Guide" (Press release). New Mexico State University. 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
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