Pan American Center Showdown: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs. New Mexico State Aggies
As the New Mexico State Aggies prepare to host the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at the Pan American Center, fans are eager for what promises to be a thrilling encounter. The Aggies, coming off a mixed bag of performances, have shown both resilience and areas in need of improvement.
In their last game on December 23 against Tulsa's Golden Hurricane, the Aggies fell short by six points in a 59-65 loss. Despite leading at halftime with 37 points compared to Tulsa's 33, they couldn't maintain their momentum, adding only 22 points in the second half while allowing Tulsa to score 32. The team's field goal percentage was concerning at just under 38 percent and their three-point shooting was particularly lackluster at approximately 15 percent. However, they excelled at free throws with an impressive near-90 percent accuracy and dominated rebounds with a total of 41.
Earlier on December 20 against Stephen F. Austin's Lumberjacks, NMSU scored more impressively with a total of 72 points but still suffered defeat by three points in another close contest that ended in a scoreline of 72-75. Their field goal percentage improved slightly to around 43 percent and they shot better from beyond the arc hitting around four out of ten attempts.
The most telling game might be from December 16 when NMSU faced off against New Mexico Lobos right here at home in Las Cruces. They showed great offensive prowess scoring an impressive number of field goals with almost half made (49 percent) and were particularly effective from three-point range making nine out of twenty attempts (45 percent). However, turnovers were an issue as they gave up possession twenty-one times which is something they will need to tighten up against WKU.
The upcoming match-up presents an opportunity for redemption for NMSU as they look to leverage their home-court advantage and passionate fan support to secure victory over WKU. The Hilltoppers should not be underestimated though; any team can rise above expectations on any given night.
Fans should expect NMSU to come out strong looking to establish control early on both ends of the court while also aiming for consistency throughout both halves – something that has been elusive recently.
Mark your calendars for January 18th when these two teams clash under the bright lights of Pan American Center starting at PM local time (Mountain Time Zone). This game will be available for streaming via ESPN+, ensuring fans won’t miss what is sure to be an exciting battle between these collegiate teams.