With a week-long break due to finals, the Southern Utah University men’s basketball team is back in action as they take on New Mexico State University on Monday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m. in Las Cruces, New Mexico. This game can be streamed on ESPN+.
Southern Utah
It has been a great start to the season for the Thunderbirds. Southern Utah is 8-3 on the year, with two of their losses coming against Power-four conference teams in University of California Los Angeles and University of Arizona. Although SUU has started strong, they are just 1-3 on the road.
Southern Utah ranks No. 3 in the Western Athletic Conference in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Thunderbirds average 78.3 points per game on 45.5% shooting from the field, while only allowing teams to shoot 40.7% from the field.
The Thunderbirds are led by a strong duo Jamir Simpson and Dominique Ford.
Simpson leads the team with 16.6 points per game and is third on the team, averaging 4.4 rebounds a game. Ford averages 13.7 points per game and has been very efficient from the floor. Ford averages 45% from the field, 38.7% from three and 85.2% from the free-throw line.
New Mexico State
After starting 3-0 on the season, the Aggies are 4-6 on the year and 1-6 in their last seven games. During this period, New Mexico State was outscored 541-474. One bright spot is the Aggies are 2-1 on the season at home.
One struggle the Aggies have shown is the ability to take care of the ball. New Mexico State is committing 14 turnovers per game while only forcing 10. Along with those turnovers, New Mexico State gives up 15.4 points off of those turnovers.
Offensively, the Aggies have three different players, averaging 10 or more points per game.
Senior guard Christian Cook leads the team with 14.1 points per game. Robert Carpenter has thrived in the forward position, averaging 12.3 points. Guard Zawdie Jackson has been a great addition to Cook in the backcourt. Jackson averages 10.1 points and leads the team with 39 assists on the season.
Southern Utah is 2-3 all-time against New Mexico State.
Author: Jack Paul
Photographer: Gannon Lovisa
Copy Editor: Kayd Johanson
