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New Mexico State Basketball: A program looking for a fresh start in CUSA

By Jason Burgess

Mar 17, 2022; Buffalo, NY, USA; New Mexico State Aggies head coach Chris Jans talks to his team in the second half against the Connecticut Huskies during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2022; Buffalo, NY, USA; New Mexico State Aggies head coach Chris Jans talks to his team in the second half against the Connecticut Huskies during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini Lou Henson (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Former head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini Lou Henson (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

New Mexico State has a storied basketball history

New Mexico State played its first basketball game in 1904-05 and had plenty of success in those early years. In 1938 they went to the NAIA Division I Tournament and 1939 NIT under Jerry Hines before Hines went to serve in World War II before returning for one season in 1946. Famed head coach Lou Henson had two stints in Las Cruces, the first saw the Aggies go to three Sweet Sixteens and a Final Four in 1970.

Neil McCarthy took over the program in 1985 and in 1992 began to build the foundation for the current Aggies program. First beginning in the Big West under McCarthy and continuing through five other coaches (including Henson’s 2nd stint) and into the WAC. Since 1990 the Aggies have won 11 regular season titles and 13 conference tournament titles with first-round wins in both 1993 and 2022.

When the Mountain West Conference was formed, UNLV joined and New Mexico State left for a five-year stint in the Sun Belt, ending the Big West Conference. Since joining the WAC in 2005-06, the Aggies have been the flag bearer for the conference with 10 trips to the NCAA Tournament (which would’ve been 11 had Covid not intervened) and an NIT appearance. The Aggies now take that pedigree to Conference USA, hoping to continue their success.