There has been a lot of talk the past few days of how New Mexico State played nowhere near the schedule that Indiana has and how it is hard to judge how big of a test the Aggies will be on Thursday evening. While IU played the superior schedule, it should be expected that a mid-major doesn't get many chances against BCS schools. In fact, Arizona was the only major conference team that NMSU played this season (an 83-76 loss at home).
The Aggies did play four games against NCAA Tournament teams with two of those coming with in-state rival New Mexico and the other two versus Southern Mississippi. NMSU was 1-3 in the four games -- splitting the home and home with New Mexico (the Aggies won the road contest 62-53), and losing both games to Southern Miss by eight points each (one at the Great Alaska Shootout and the other on the road).
Here is a look at how the Aggies three leading scorers performed in those four games:
Senior forward Wendell McKines- PPG: 17.3, RPG: 8.5, FG: 25-59 (42%), 3FG: 6-14 (43%)
-Overall, McKines shot the ball much better from 3-point range than his season average but his total field goal percentage was about six percent less. His points and rebounds were just a tad below his season average.
Senior point guard Hernst Laroche- PPG: 9, Assist/Turnover Ratio: 1.06, FG: 9-29 (31%), 3FG: 2-10 (20%)
-In the big games, Laroche definitely had a tendency to turn the ball over at a much higher rate than his season average. Both his field goal percentage, and three point percentage, were well below his season averages.
Senior center Hamidu Rahman- PPG: 7.8, RPG: 5.2, FG: 13-16 (81%), FT 15-31 (48%)
-When Rahman got the ball in these four games he finished at a high rate. However, his foul shooting was right around his 52% season average.
Thoughts: These three 1,000 point scorers all started back in 2010 when New Mexico State lost 70-67 as a No. 12 seed to Michigan State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. In that game, Laroche and McKines combined to go 1-12 against the Spartans. The trio hasn't shied away from talking about the Aggies chances on Thursday evening but it will take an effort that NMSU fans haven't seen from them on the game's biggest stage to pull off the upset.
