ALBUQUERQUE, NM – College basketball rivalries are the heart of the sport, and the “Battle of I-25” between the New Mexico Lobos and NM State Aggies lived up to the hype. In a game scheduled for just one face-off this season, the New Mexico State Aggies (4-5, 0-0 CUSA) showcased a potent offensive duo in Christian Cook and Robert Carpenter, who combined for 47 points to secure a thrilling victory over the New Mexico Lobos (7-3, 1-0 MW). The sold-out crowd of 15,411 at The Pit witnessed an intense matchup where the Aggies overcame 17 turnovers and 20 personal fouls to clinch their first win against the Lobos since December 6, 2021.
First Half Action
Senior guard Dionte Bostick, making only his third start of the season for NM State, initiated the scoring, giving the Aggies an early 2-0 advantage. The opening minutes saw both teams trading baskets, before the Lobos seized their first lead with a jump shot from Tru Washington, pushing the home team ahead 8-4 at the first media timeout.
Robert Carpenter, the Aggies’ 6’7″ forward, provided an immediate impact off the bench, injecting energy and scoring five quick points. Despite Carpenter’s efforts, the New Mexico Lobos extended their lead to the largest of the first half at 25-15, following Donovan Dent’s first points of the game with 11:10 left in the first frame.
Facing a 14-point deficit at 33-19, senior guards Christian Cook and Zawdie Jackson spearheaded a remarkable 13-0 run for the Aggies. Dionte Bostick capped off the surge with a basket, narrowing the Lobos’ lead to a mere point at 33-32. During this stretch, Jackson earned the Aggies’ first trip to the free-throw line with 6:45 remaining in the half. Nelly Junior Joseph ended the Lobos’ scoring drought, making it a 35-32 game with 5:32 left before halftime.
Carpenter continued to be a scoring catalyst for the Aggies off the bench, hitting his second three-pointer of the night to tie the game at 35 – the first tie since the 17:16 mark (4-4). Following a three-pointer by Zawdie Jackson, Carpenter’s third three of the half gave NM State their first lead since the early stages of the game. Carpenter added another triple and Christian Cook contributed his third of the half, closing the first-half scoring for the Aggies and establishing a 47-38 lead heading into the break.
After a slow start from beyond the arc, hitting only one of their first five three-point attempts, NM State caught fire, sinking eight of their next nine to finish the half shooting an impressive 9-14 (60%) from three-point range and 18-30 (60%) overall from the field. Conversely, the New Mexico Lobos started strong, shooting 14-21 (67%) from the field, but struggled towards the end of the half, going 1-14 (7%) in the final minutes. UNM also faltered at the free-throw line, making only four of ten attempts, while the Aggies converted their only two free throws of the half.
Second Half and Overtime Drama
Christian Cook, who had 11 points in the first half, quickly added to his tally within the first 16 seconds of the second half, stretching the Aggies’ lead to a then-game-high of 49-38. The Lobos’ shooting woes persisted into the second half, failing to score their first basket until the 16:21 mark.
Carpenter’s fifth three-pointer of the night extended the Aggie advantage to 14 points. However, Lobo guard Dent responded with six consecutive points, chipping away at the NM State lead, bringing the score to 54-46. Dionte Bostick, with his signature drive to the basket, ignited a 7-0 Aggie run, capped off by a Peter Filipovity jumper, giving the Crimson & White their largest lead of the night at 61-46 with 10:39 remaining.
The raucous atmosphere of The Pit energized the New Mexico Lobos as they began to rally, narrowing the Aggie lead to seven points at 63-56 with 8:59 left in the game. Out of a timeout, Cook silenced the crowd with his fifth three-pointer of the night, matching his season-high. As tension mounted, steady point guard Zawdie Jackson scored his third basket of the night, putting four Aggies in double figures and maintaining a six-point NM State lead at 70-64.
With just two minutes left, starting point guard Zawdie Jackson fouled out, concluding his night with 10 points and seven assists, tying his season-high. A Lobo three-pointer in the left corner tied the game for the first time since the 4:58 mark in the first half (35-35). After briefly regaining a three-point lead with 14 seconds remaining, another clutch three-pointer from the left corner by the Lobos tied the game at 73, forcing overtime – a first for the Aggies since February 1, 2024.
In overtime, the New Mexico Lobos scored the opening points with a pair of free throws. However, NM State demonstrated resilience, responding with back-to-back three-pointers from Robert Carpenter and Christian Cook. Consecutive driving layups by Dionte Bostick completed a 10-0 Aggie run, pushing the lead to 83-75 with 1:25 remaining. Despite intentional fouls in the closing seconds, the Aggies secured an 89-83 victory at The Pit.
Key Game Statistics
- The Aggies’ nine three-pointers in the first half marked their highest against a Division I opponent. They finished the game with 14 made threes, tying their season-high of 14-34 against New Mexico Highlands.
- Christian Cook led all scorers with 27 points, including six three-pointers, marking a Division I career-high and his third career game with six triples.
- Robert Carpenter contributed 20 points in 30 minutes off the bench, reaching double-figures in all nine of the Aggies’ games this season. This was Carpenter’s first 20-point performance of the season.
- Dionte Bostick and Zawdie Jackson each added 10 points for the Aggies. Jackson tied his season-high with seven assists, and Bostick grabbed a career-best eight rebounds.
- This 89-83 victory in Albuquerque is the Aggies’ largest win in the Duke City since a 62-53 win on November 16, 2011.
- Despite committing 17 turnovers, this is the Aggies’ first win with over 17 turnovers since December 11, 2021.
For comprehensive coverage of NM State Men’s Basketball, visit NMStateSports.com, the official home of Aggie athletics.
