Aggies Fall 84-76 to Rival UTEP
by NMSU Athletics
Freshman forward Wendell McKines and senior center Hatila Passos both had 11 points for NMSU.
Head coach Marvin Menzies said he is ready to return to the Pan Am after the Aggies had five of their first seven games of the season on the road.
He also said he was pleased with McKines, who recorded the only double-double of the game with a game-high and career-high 14 rebounds. The performance was his second career double-double.
“I just love the kid (McKines),” he said. “He goes after every single ball. As a freshman right now, he’s doing a great job.”
The Aggies took a 42-40 lead into halftime behind 21 points from Hawkins. The Anaheim, Calif., native already had a season high on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and a 3-for-4 performance from beyond the arc. He was the only player in double-figures at the break.
The first half was tightly contested with 11 lead changes and the score was tied on five occasions. Offensively, McKines supplied eight points and a game-high nine rebounds, with seven on the offensive glass. In only seven minutes to action due to foul trouble, senior guard Fred Peete had seven points.
In the second half, Passos led the Aggies with all of his 11 points in the final 20:00 minutes of action. He was also 7-for-10 from the free throw line.
NMSU returns to Las Cruces for a five-game home stand beginning Friday, Nov. 30 against Chicago State in the Lou Henson Classic.
