LAS CRUCES, N.M.-The New Mexico State men’s basketball team opened the 2007-08 season against Cal State Los Angeles with a 80-66 win, Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Pan American Center.  Senior guard/forward Justin Hawkins paced the Aggies with a double-double consisting of 21 points and 10 rebounds. 

The Aggies had three other players in double digits with sophomore guard Jonathan Gibson and junior guard Paris Carter supplying 12 points each.  Carter was 4-for-6 from behind the arc.  Senior center Hatila Passos was also in double-figures with 10 points. 

Head coach Marvin Menzies said he was pleased to see the Aggies on the Pan Am floor for the first time. 

“An exhibition game is an opportunity to get out and blow out the cobwebs and get up and down the floor and work on a little conditioning and do some things against other people with some referees and fans,” he said.  “It was good.  Overall, I was happy we had a chance to get all of those things behind us so we can maybe learn a little bit more on Monday and get after it again on Tuesday.” 

Freshman forward Wendell McKines made an impact in his first game in an Aggie uniform as he had eight points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field. 

In the first half, Passos led the Aggies with eight points and five rebounds and Hawkins added seven points along with four rebounds. 

The Aggies host New Mexico Highlands in their final exhibition game Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the Pan American Center.