Written By: NM State Athletic Dept.

MALIBU, CA - The New Mexico State men’s basketball team ended its four-game road stint with a 78-72 win at Pepperdine at the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif., Friday, Dec. 18.

Junior guard Jahmar Young scored a game-high 27 points while senior guard Jonathan Gibson added 24. Sophomore center Hamidu Rahman grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds for the Aggies that shot 50 percent from the field and tied a season-low with 12 turnovers.

At halftime, the Aggies posted a 38-35 lead behind 12 points from Gibson and 11 points from Young. NM State shot 54.2 percent from the field including a 4-of-9 performance from the 3-point line.

At the 12:43 mark, the Aggies captured their first lead of the game, 16-14, when Gibson hit his first 3-pointer of the contest. NM State then built a nine-point advantage, 27-18, on dunk from Rahman that capped a 10-3 run with 8:52 left in the half.

The Aggies return home to host a pair of games against Alcorn State, Monday, Dec. 21, and Texas Southern in the Lou Henson Classic, Wednesday, Dec. 23. Both games are slated for a 7 p.m. tipoff.