Troy Gillenwater and Terrance Joyner are each dressed to play tonight. Gillenwater tweaked an ankle on Monday against La Tech and tonight is the first time Joyner has been in uniform since his arrest on Feb. 4
While their best player is guard Josh Akognon and he will be a handful, the size difference is obvious. Fullerton's biggest players are 6-8. The Aggies could look to get it inside early
Fullerton 44, NMSU 43 HALFTIME
Akognon is everything as advertised, leading the way with 22 first half points in this shootout. Castillo has come off the bench for two triplles and eight points. The Aggies have nine offensive rebounds and lead the rebounding battle 22-13
NMSU 94, Fullerton 86
The Aggies were 18 of 23 in the second half and shot a season best 63 percent for the game. the difference is obvious. Akognon had 32 points, but the Aggies had six players in double figures
15 comments:
Excellent game by Castillo. I was critical of him early in the season but he has now become a better shooter and defender. This game just showed what the Aggie offense can do when they all click. Its great that six of our guys were in double figures and I honestly think that we have a better line up with Gillenwater instead of Rahman. I dont see him or Gabriel making a presence in the paint and Gillenwater is just a better player.Akognon just kept draining threes on us and our defense was very weak to allow 86 points. We need to win every game from here on and I think we can make a run to the championship game if we can avoid Nevada in the semis. Utah St. may be first place but the Gales showed everyone tonight that they are not a top 25 team. Keep the wins coming and finish strong
GS
GS, good post. One rub though. And maybe I'm just misinterpreting what you are saying...At this point, yes I'd rather us use a small lineup with TG at the 5 and Big Wen at the 4. However, I think given more instruction and time both Gabriel and Rahman will be great forces for us in the middle.
I agree with the previous poster. The team is better with Gillenwater in at center.
Very nice to see the all around game the Aggies played.
Nice job by team and coaches alike.
Gillenwater is more talented and offensivly effective than Rahman and Gabriel, but sometimes we need a big presence in the paint. Rahman and Gabriel were very effective on both ends of the court in the road win at Nevada. Even Mark Fox, who never gives NMSU credit for anything, said that they simply could not handle Rahman because he was just too big. Gillenwater is the future though.
Anon at 12:07. Duh that Rahman, and Gabriel played good against Nevada, because Nevada biggest player is 6'8. NMSU needs Gillenwater in the game a lot. Rahman, and Gabriel should be coming off the bench.
I really wouldn't mind seeing us start:
PG Laroche
SG Castillo
SF Young
PF McKines
C Gillenwater
Bring Gibson off the bench and you have a possible spark. The way Gordo is playing right now, you could still start Gibson and bring him off the bench. Lot different things we could do without screwing with our rotation.
I guess Menzies has never heard of the Miracle Migits. I hope he learned something during the second half of the Fullerton game. Rahman and Gabriel may be nice guys but they are not quality D-1 players yet. I have been saying all season---instead of screwing up this season, let them develop in practice. Menzie blames being young and Mummie blamed injuries. Menzie has insisted all season on playing “big guys” that are slow, stand flat-footed and watch smaller guys rebound, bobble the ball, travel, and turn it over when it is passed to them---instead of playing faster more athletic players. Mummie insisted on trying to run the ball right up the middle when it didn’t work---despite having a great passing game. What is it about aggie coaches that they can’t see what is obvious to everyone else. If Menzies had been going with a faster more athletic lineup all season, I strongly feel we would have no more that 3 losses at this point. On another note,
Lumpkins can out rebound, handle the ball better, and score better than the big guys at this point---he is clearly more athletic and should be playing ahead of the big guys.
LOL@ 5:50
You fail to mention that Rahman has had stellar games this season for a freshman big man (we all know big men take logner to develop, and the best way to move them along is by playing them). We wouldn't have won at Reno, if it wasn't for Rahmans play.
Anon 5:50
are you really that stupid!!!!!!!! 3 losses????? I think we have a young team with a lot of talent but there is no way we only have 3 losses if our bigs don't play. That is just plain dumb to think.. And if you think you are a better coach than Menzies or even Mumme then apply for the job so everyone can laugh at you!!! Your another typical Las Cruces fan that probably leaves the games early, and then looks for something to complain about even after we win... Shut up, stop complaining and just support the team. WE WON so get over it...
Hamidu has only had two good games, against UTEP and Nevada. He still needs to develop more and at this point in the season I dont think it does any good to be sitting better players. I think that he can be a good center but right now we are trying to get a higher seed in the WAC and Troy gives us a better edge. Lets face it, our defense is not going to win most of our games. Offense is what has carried us all season and Troy has more offense than Hamidu. The guys have had the season to improve and I think our best 5 should be starting by now.
GS
I'd like to add, the way Gillenwater plays (i.e. always in foul trouble) we would be in serious trouble without some big bodies to fill up the paint.
It's just too bad that this game wasn't televised-would have been more exciting to see than that "other" aggie team that embarassed the WAC on ESPN...
Troy would get more mins. If Troy didn't commit stupid fouls.
Troy Gillenwater is better than Hamidu Rahman. What happen to playing our best player.
Anon 1:38 are you dense? Troy takes himself out of games. You can't play a player in foul trouble if he's good. It's that simple.
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