New Mexico State hasn’t lost a college basketball game since Jan. 17. Winners of 13 straight, the Aggies hope to keep that streak alive Friday in Omaha, Nebraska, against national powerhouse Kansas.
Dancing in March for the fourth season in a row, NMSU (23-10) also has a chance to deal the Big 12 (0-3 on the first day of The Madness) another NCAA Tournament blow — if it can find a way to topple the Midwest’s No. 2 seed, KU (26-8).
The WAC regular-season and tournament champion Aggies lost at Baylor, 66-55, back on Dec. 17. But this is March. And upsets rule supreme.
If New Mexico State wants to test — or upset — Kansas, it will have to do so with its defense. The Aggies are:
– 19th in the NCAA in scoring defense (59.3 points allowed)
– 10th in 3-point FG% defense (29.3%)
– 19th in rebound margin: +6.9 boards a game
The Aggies do all of that while playing pressure defense, and an adapting half-court zone that actually specializes in taking away open 3-point looks.
Asked to describe NMSU’s defense, sixth man D.K. Eldridge labeled it the ever-popular “40 minutes of hell.”
> “We try to make it impossible to bring
> the ball across half court,” Eldridge
> said. “It mostly comes from all our
> deflections. We keep count of that.
> Daniel (Mullings) leading in
> deflections right now. Myself, Ian
> (Baker) can do it. And our back wall
> guys, they very athletic and make
> plays, as well.”
In summation: It’s the kind of approach that opponents hate.
In order to get to know the Aggies better, I asked senior guard Eldridge to provide his take on each of NMSU’s top six players.
AGGIES STARTERS
—————
**No. 3 — Remi Barry, 6-8, 225 senior F**
*– Season stats: 13.3 points, 46.3% FGs, 44.6% 3s (41-for-92), 76.6% FTs, 4.8 rebounds*
> “Coming off an injury from last year,
> he’s had a very successful year. He
> brings scoring to the table and he’s a
> part of our defense with his length.”
>
> “He knows his role. He don’t get
> outside his box too much.”
**No. 43 — Pascal Siakam, 6-9, 230 freshman F**
*– Season stats: 13 points, 57.7% FGs, 0-for-2 3s, 76.3% FTs, 7.7 rebounds (4.4 offensive), 1.8 blocks*
> “Oh, man. He an animal down low. Only
> a freshman, though. That’s what’s
> crazy about it. He’s got a lot left.
> Hopefully this’ll give him experience
> to have confidence for the future.”
>
> “He’s very athletic, rebounds, scores
> the ball really well. He plays hard
> every possession.”
**No. 23 — Daniel Mullings, 6-2, 170, senior G**
*– Season stats: 12.6 points, 43.5% FGs, 36.1% 3s, 70.8% FTs, 5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2 steals*
> “He’s the head of the program. A very
> good player, athletic, very strong
> competitor.”
>
> “Similar to myself, we just go out
> there and do what we do best: play
> hard every possession, give it our all
> for 40 minutes.”
>
> “He’s a very strong driver, capable
> shooter, very good defense on the ball
> and off the ball.”
**No. 15 — Tshilidzi Nephawe, 6-10, 268, senior C**
New Mexico St. big man Tshilidzi Nephawe (6-10, 270) is kind of a load in the paint. Averages 10.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg. pic.twitter.com/NHNJxK2JcB
— Benton Smith (@BentonASmith) March 19, 2015
*– Season stats: 10.4 points, 53.1% FGs, 62.1% FTs, 7.6 rebounds*
> “Just call him ‘Chili.’ He gets mad if
> you don’t say his nickname.”
>
> “Just a big presence down low.
> Offense, it’s hard to stop him. Big,
> strong kid. A guy you want to get the
> ball to every time. You know you’re
> gonna get a bucket out of him.”
>
> “On the defensive end, he just change
> shots, rebound, guard. He can get down
> and guard guards if he want to.”
>
> “His conditioning got better. He came
> off an injury not too long ago (missed
> 12 games before returning in
> mid-January).”
>
> “He’s a senior, does the right things.
> Not too many mistakes — on and off the
> court. He’s a guy that you want, and
> we want. We’re lucky to have him on
> our team.”
**No. 4 — Ian Baker, 6-0, 180, sophomore PG**
*– Season stats: 9.5 points, 47.8% FGs, 47.2% 3s (58-for-123), 75.9% FTs, 2.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals*
> “He brings a lot. For being a young
> player, he’s a very experienced guy.
> He’s very mature at his position.”
>
> “He can shoot the ball very well. He
> can lead the team on offense, and when
> he wants to he can play very good
> ‘D.'”
>
> “He comes from a family with a lot of
> older brothers, so I think that’s why
> his maturity is so strong. … He’s a
> very good leader. We listen to him. He
> puts us in the right position to win
> games, hits a lot of big shots for us…
> When we’re in a deep situation, he’ll
> get us out of it.”
AGGIES BENCH
————
**No. 1 — D.K. Eldridge, 6-2, 180, senior G**
*– Season stats: 8.1 points, 38.6% FGs, 28.1% 3s (34-for-121), 63.3% FTs, 2.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals*
Eldridge considers himself a defensive-minded guy.
> “That’s where my offense comes from
> most of the time — playing good ‘D.’ I
> know this team needs me in that
> category, so I just try my best to
> come off the bench and bring energy,
> especially when the starting five’s
> not feeling too energetic.”
