The Hilltoppers fall to 9-6 overall and 2-2 in Conference USA play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- WKU got off to a slow start as New Mexico State jumped out to a commanding 13-0 lead by the first media timeout. Armelo Boone finally put the Hilltoppers on the board with a put-back layup, but the Aggies continued to surge ahead, stretching their advantage to 21-2 and forcing a WKU timeout with 14:20 remaining in the first half.
- The Hilltoppers responded with a 7-0 run, fueled by five points from Cam Haffner — a 3-pointer followed by a jumper — and two free throws from Blaise Keita, trimming the deficit to 21-9. New Mexico State quickly regained momentum, though, reeling off nine straight points to push the margin back to 30-9.
- The Aggies continued to build on their lead, going up 41-13 at the 5:38 mark as WKU managed just two baskets during that stretch — one each from Kade Unseld and Noah Boyde. The Hilltoppers found some rhythm late in the half, closing on a 15-5 run to narrow the gap to 46-28 at the break. Boone and Jack Edelen each scored four points during the spurt, Unseld buried a 3-pointer, and Grant Newell and LJ Hackman combined for three points at the line.
- WKU carried the momentum into the second half, opening with a 5-0 burst behind a Haffner corner triple and two free throws from Terrion Murdix. New Mexico State answered right back with a 4-0 spurt of its own to extend the lead to 50-33 with 18:11 remaining.
- The Hilltoppers rallied again, using a 10-2 run to pull within nine at 52-43. Edelen sparked the surge with a 3-pointer, Ryan Myers converted an and-one and Murdix added two more at the stripe. Myers then scored inside and Boyde hit two free throws as WKU stayed within 10 at 57-47, but the Aggies countered with a 7-0 run to regain control with just over 10 minutes to play.
- New Mexico State pushed its advantage to 70-50 with 9:16 left and maintained a double-digit margin the rest of the way, securing an 80-64 victory.
NOTABLES
- WKU drops to 9-6 overall, 2-2 in Conference USA play and 12-4 all-time against New Mexico State.
- Tonight's starting five featured Ryan Myers, Armelo Boone, Teagan Moore, Grant Newell and Noah Boyde.
- The announced attendance was 2,612.
- Boone was the only Hilltopper to score in double figures, tallying 13 points, going 6-of-14 from the floor while adding a team-high nine rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in 28 minutes.
- Jack Edelen turned in a strong performance off the bench, recording a season-high nine points along with three rebounds and a block in 23 minutes.
- Kade Unseld provided a spark, scoring eight points on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting mark — including 2-of-2 from deep — while adding a steal in 10 minutes.
- Cam Haffner matched Unseld with eight points of his own, hitting 3-of-7 from the field and 2-of-5 from beyond the arc while grabbing three rebounds in 15 minutes.
- In his first game action since Nov. 27, 2025, Terrion Murdix contributed six points, four assists and two steals in 16 minutes.
- Boyde chipped in five points, five rebounds and a block in 20 minutes.
- The Hilltoppers led in points in the paint (30-20), second chance points (22-16), bench points (34-31), steals (5-4) and blocks (5-3).
NEXT UP
- WKU concludes the two-game road swing on Saturday, Jan. 10 at UTEP. Tipoff in El Paso, Texas, is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT. The game will stream live on ESPN+.
How to follow WKU Hilltopper Basketball: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Basketball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKUBasketball on Instagram and X.
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