With a WAC Player of the Year candidate in power forward Wendell McKines and the most experienced point guard in the league in Hernst Laroche, it can be easy to forget New Mexico State's third senior.
That would be 6-foot-11 center Hamidu Rahman.
"He plays 19 minutes a game and averages double figures," said Utah State coach Stew Morrill. "He's just a force inside. He demands a double team, and that causes you problems. You go double him and how do you block Wendell McKines off? Wendell is the best rebounder in the league. They present lots of problems with their personnel."
New Mexico State entered the week at 18-8 overall and 7-3 in the WAC, in second place in the league. The Aggies aren't likely to catch conference leader Nevada (10-1), and they don't really have the kind of strong out-of-conference resume that could net an NCAA tournament at-large berth.
But Morrill is right. The Aggies are a tough personnel matchup, especially when you consider 6-foot-8 Bandja Sy as a perimeter player. New Mexico State could make a statement in a game at Nevada on March 1. And, of course, the Aggies aren't conceding anything when an automatic bid to the NCAAs is on the line in the WAC tournament in Las Vegas.
With those three seniors, the time is now for New Mexico State.
Rahman entered the week eighth in the league in rebounding at 6.0 per game and second in field-goal percentage at 61.2 percent. Yes, he plays only about 20 minutes per game, but he's a matchup problem for most everyone in the WAC. And he can't be forgotten down the stretch with the Aggies' biggest goals still in reach.
NOTES, QUOTES
-- With its 80-69 victory Saturday at Utah State, NMSU won in Logan for the first time since 2006. "I'm just happy our guys fought through it and the adversity and the crowd," NMSU coach Marvin Menzies said. "The crowd here is just amazing, the student section especially. They have by far the best home-court advantage in the conference, so I was a little concerned about that with our young guys."
-- The Aggies have only two road games left: at Nevada on March 9 and Fresno State on March 11. "It's all mental at this point," PF Wendell McKines told the Las Cruces Sun-News about battling on road trips. "Everyone in the conference is tired. The conference doesn't have the best travel arrangements, wherever you go."
-- NMSU made 55.6 percent of its shots -- including a season-best 63.6 percent (7 of 11) from 3-point range -- against Utah State.
BY THE NUMBERS: 31.6 -- The 3-point shooting percentage for New Mexico State this season, a number that ranks last in the WAC. The Aggies have made 113 of 358 attempts.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It just shows our ability to bounce back and lets us know that we can't put ourselves in that position again. We have to play with that focus every time we play. When we do that, the results are usually good." -- PF Wendell McKines, in the Las Cruces Sun-News, following Saturday's win at Utah State. The Aggies lost their previous game at Idaho.
PLAYER NOTES
-- Sophomore C Tshilidzi Nephawe is getting plenty of time this
season as Hamidu Rahman's backup and is averaging 5.5
points, 3.7 rebounds and 16.7 minutes per game. The 6-foot-10 Nephawe often showed he
could handle a starting role last season, when multiple injuries hit the
Aggies frontcourt, and he still has a lot of room to improve. He has the body to be a dominating big man when he gets a bigger role, which
should come next season.
-- Junior F Tyrone Watson has been providing all-around contributions lately. He had nine points, eight assists and five rebounds against Idaho on Feb. 9, then followed that up with eight points, seven rebounds and four assists at Utah State.
-- Senior PF Wendell McKines is averaging 18.1 points and 10.3 rebounds, both of which lead the WAC.
